Tag: kentucky oaks

Brown Looking for Same ‘Results’ in Gazelle

Klaravich Stables' lightly-raced Search Results (Flatter) will try to make it two stakes wins in three career starts and punch her ticket to the GI Kentucky Oaks for trainer Chad Brown in the GIII Gazelle S. Saturday at Aqueduct.

Unveiled Jan. 3 going six furlongs at Gulfstream, the $310,000 Keeneland September buy ran away to a four-length victory. Stepped up and stretched out to a mile in the local Busher Invitational S. Mar. 6, the dark bay responded with a hard-fought half-length victory over the more seasoned Miss Brazil (Palace Malice), earning a field-best 84 Beyer. The race was further validated when distant fifth-place finisher Make Mischief (Into Mischief) came back to annex a Big A allowance Sunday. Though she draws widest in the eight-horse field, Search Results figures to be able to work out a trip with little speed signed on to her inside.

The morning-line second choice also comes from the Brown barn in The Grass Is Blue (Broken Vow). A nonthreatening third behind her stablemate in the Busher, she previously captured the track-and-trip Busanda S. and was a fast-closing third in the Anne Arundel S. at Laurel. Mia Martina (Not This Time) has an upset chance in her dirt debut. Bought into by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners after a 21-1 debut upset on the Gulfstream West lawn, the bay scored a good-looking allowance success first out for Graham Motion Jan. 10 at Gulfstream and closed from way back to be fourth in the GIII Florida Oaks last out Mar. 6 at Tampa.

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Road To The Kentucky Oaks: Brown Enters Two In Saturday’s Gazelle

Trainer Chad Brown will send out a pair of stakes winners who are looking to take the next step up against graded company, with the duo competing as part of an eight-horse field in Saturday's Grade 3, $250,000 Gazelle for sophomore fillies going 1 1/8 miles at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The 127th running of the Gazelle – offering 100-40-20-10 qualifying points to the top-four finishers to the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on April 30 at Churchill Downs – is one of five stakes on a loaded Saturday at the Big, highlighted by the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial presented by Resorts World Casino for 3-year-olds going nine furlongs with the same point structure on the line for the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 1.

The day will also include the first New York Grade 1 race of the year in the $300,000 Carter for 4-year-olds and up going seven furlongs; the Grade 3, $200,000 Bayshore for 3-year-olds going seven furlongs; and the Grade 3, $150,000 Excelsior for 4-year-olds and up going nine furlongs.

The Gazelle will be contested for the first time in two years, with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing last year's edition to be missed. That marked the first time since the stretch between 1933-35 that the prestigious race for 3-year-old fillies was not run.

But the contest's resurgence will see four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown enter the respective first and third-place finishers from the Busher Invitational on March 6, saddling Klaravich Stables' Search Results and Louis Lazzinnaro's The Grass Is Blue.

Search Results, unraced as a juvenile, improved to 2-for-2 in her career with a half-length score over Miss Brazil in the Busher, contested over a one-turn mile on an Aqueduct fast track. The daughter of Flatter earned a Gazelle field-high 84 Beyer Speed Figure for that effort and will now contest at two turns for the first time, with jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the irons from the outermost post 8.

Brown is a two-time Gazelle winner, earning winner's circle trips with Awesome Feather [2011] and Lewis Bay [2016].

Ortiz, Jr., the winner of the last three Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Jockey, enjoyed a tremendous winter at Gulfstream with a record-setting 140 wins at the championship meet. He also piloted Lewis Bay to victory for Brown in the Gazelle five years ago.

Search Results, a debut four-length winner going six furlongs on January 3 at Gulfstream Park, was purchased for $310,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Her stablemate, The Grass Is Blue, ran third in the Busher, garnering a personal-best 74 Beyer. The consistent Broken Vow filly is 3-0-2 in six starts and has already won a stakes at the Gazelle distance, besting Coffee Bar by one length in the Busanda on January 24. That sophomore debut effort followed a three-race juvenile campaign in which she won her debut by 8 1/2 lengths in July at Monmouth Park before capturing a 6 1/2-furlong optional claiming sprint in October at Keeneland.

The Grass Is Blue earned her first stakes blacktype with a third-place effort in the Anne Arundel County on December 26 at Laurel to close the curtain on 2020. She will make her third consecutive start at Aqueduct, drawing post 5 with Manny Franco aboard.

Beach Haven Thoroughbreds' Maracuja broke her maiden at third asking, rallying from last-of-six to draw away to a 3 3/4-length win going 6 1/2 furlongs on February 21 at the Ozone Park course. The Rob Atras trainee has made all three of her starts over the same track, starting with a runner-up debut on December 20 before a third-place finish on January 23 stretched out to seven furlongs.

Atras said he needed to be patient with the Honor Code filly, who has been training at Belmont Park, including a five-furlong breeze in 1:03.69 on March 28 over the dirt training track.

“It took her a little time to come around with some baby issues,” Atras said. “She was figuring things out in her first couple of starts, but her last race she really put everything all together.”

Maracuja, bought for $200,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, will have Kendrick Carmouche's services from post 2 as she stretches out for the longest race of her young career.

“She acts like two turns shouldn't be an issue but it's a big ask going from six and a half furlongs to a mile and an eighth and stepping up to a big race like this. She's continued to train forwardly,” Atras said.

Mia Martina will make her main track debut after winning her first two career starts on turf ahead of a fourth-place effort in the Grade 3 Florida Oaks going 1 1/16 miles on the Tampa Bay Downs grass on March 6.

Trainer Graham Motion said Mia Martina, owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Gianni Fittipaldi, has family history on her side in trying dirt. Out of Proud and Charming, Mia Martina's sire is Not This Time, winner of the 2016 Grade 3 Iroquois and the runner-up to Classic Empire in that year's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Not This Time retired after that race due to a soft tissue injury to his right front leg, prompting a successful second career as a sire.

“We talked about it and thought this will be a good time to find out how she handles the dirt,” Motion said. “She has a dirt pedigree. She's a very straight-forwarded filly who looks like the further she goes, the better, so we thought the mile and an eighth might suit her.”

Mia Martina, who drew post 3 with Junior Alvarado set to ride, worked for the first time on dirt, clocking four furlongs in 51 seconds flat on March 25 at Palm Meadows Training Center.

“She seemed to handle it fine,” Motion said. “She's not a flashy racehorse anyway. We're taking a bit of a shot but we felt this is a good spot to do it.”

Alwayz Late didn't earn her first trip to the winner's circle until her fourth career start on February 14 at Gulfstream Park but will make her first stakes appearance with momentum. Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott saw the daughter of Animal Kingdom win her second straight contest with a 1 1/2-length score traveling nine furlongs against allowance optional-claiming company on March 10 at Gulfstream, improving her record to 2-0-2 in five starts.

Alwayz Late, owned by Wachtel Stable, Pantofel Stable and TOLO Thoroughbreds, will ship to New York for the first time after continuing to train at Gulfstream. Tyler Gaffalione will ride from post 6.

Three Diamonds Farm's Army Wife also won multiple races to gear up for a stakes bow, including a thrilling finish last out when she topped Happy Constitution by a nose in a one-mile optional claiming race on March 13 at Gulfstream.

Conditioned by Mike Maker, Army Wife was purchased for $190,000 at the 2020 Ocala Breeders' Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Trevor McCarthy will ride from post 4.

Augustin Stable's Song of Innocence made her last three starts on Turfway Park's all-weather surface and will make her first stakes start for trainer Jonathan Thomas, breaking from post X in tandem with Eric Cancel. Song of Innocence broke her maiden at third asking going one mile at Turfway on January 29.

Magic Oaks' Hybrid Eclipse, off two straight wins for trainer Linda Rice, will compete in a stakes for the first time in six career starts, exiting post X with Jose Ortiz aboard.

The Gazelle is slated as Race 9 on the 11-race program. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.

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TDN Kentucky Oaks Top 10 for April 1

The picture for the GI Kentucky Oaks might look a lot different late Saturday afternoon than it does at the present. There are four races on tap-the GIII Gazelle S., the GI Ashland S., the GIII Fantasy and the GII Santa Anita Oak–that will feature more than a dozen serious candidates for the last Friday in April. Five horses among our top 10 are slated to go.

Meanwhile, last weekend's action featured a win in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks for Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map) and a strong showing for runner-up Millefeuille (Curlin), who rebounded off a poor effort the in the GII Davona Dale S. At Turfway, the loaded Brad Cox barn had Adventuring (Pioneerof the Nile) primed for a winning effort in the Bourbonette Oaks.

1) TRAVEL COLUMN (Frosted–Swingit, by Victory Gallop)
'TDN Rising Star' O-OXO Equine. B-Mr. & Mrs. Bayne Welker, Jr. & Denali Stud (KY). T-Brad Cox. Sales History: $850,000 ylg '19 FTSAUG. Lifetime Record: MGSW & GISP, 5-3-1-1, $517,184.
Last Start: 1st GII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks, FG, Mar. 20
Accomplishments Include: 1st GII Golden Rod S., CD, Nov. 28, 2nd GII Rachel Alexandra S. presented by Fasig-Tipton, FG, Feb. 13, 3rd GI Darley Alcibiades S., KEE, Oct. 2
Next Start: GI Kentucky Oaks, CD, Apr. 30
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 132

The likely favorite for the Oaks, Travel Column is as solid as they come. Since winning the GII Golden Rod S. last fall at Churchill, she hasn't missed a beat and defeated rival Clairiere in another head-to-head match up in GII Fair Grounds Oaks. The Oaks will be her toughest test to date and she may have to improve a bit to win it. Ran a 90 Beyer in the Fair Grounds race, which may not be good enough to win the Oaks. She will attempt to become the fifth horse since 2008 to parlay a win in the Fair Grounds Oaks into a victory in the Kentucky Oaks. Cox and jockey Florent Geroux have teamed up to win two of the last three runnings of the Kentucky Oaks.

2) CLAIRIERE (Curlin–Cavorting, by Bernardini)
O/B-Stonestreet Stables (KY). T-Steve Asmussen. Lifetime Record: GSW, 4-2-2-0, $350,492.
Last Start: 2nd GII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks, FG, Mar. 20
Accomplishments Include: 1st GII Rachel Alexandra S. presented by Fasig-Tipton, FG, Feb. 13, 2nd GII Golden Rod S., CD, Nov. 28
Next Start: GI Kentucky Oaks, CD, Apr. 30
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 94

If Clairiere has a flaw it is that she may be dependent on a fast early pace. Fifth early, she was a bit closer when finishing second behind Travel Column in the Fair Grounds Oaks, but still had left herself with too much to do. Perhaps, the extra sixteenth of the mile in the Oaks will be to her liking. Trainer Steve Asmussen will be looking for his third win in the Oaks and his first since Untapable (Tapit) in 2014. Should have a hungry rider. Through March 29, Joe Talamo was just 8 for 112 on the year (7.14%). With Travel Column having won two of her three meetings with Clairiere, she will likely need to run an improved race to win.

3) WILL'S SECRET (Will Take Charge–Girls Secret, by Giant's Causeway)
O/B-Willis Horton Racing (KY). T-Dallas Stewart. Lifetime Record: GSW, 6-3-0-2, $343,300.
Last Start: 1st GIII Honeybee S., OP, Mar. 6
Accomplishments Include: 1st Martha Washington S., OP, Jan. 30
Next Start: Possible for GIII Fantasy S., OP, Apr. 3
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 60

The story here is the jockey. Jon Court, 60, has been riding for 41 years and broke in in 1980 at Centennial Park in Colorado, which hasn't run a race since 1983. Court picked up the mount for a maiden race back in October and has been there ever since. Got a very favorable trip in the GIII Honeybee S., where she got the lead after posting soft fractions. Rather than stay at Oaklawn for the Fantasy, trainer Dallas Stewart has entered his filly in the Ashland, which is looking like a very tough spot. Stewart won the Oaks in 2006 with Lemons Forever (Lemon Drop Kid). She is the first foal out of Girls Secret (Giant's Causeway), a winner of just one of six career starts.

4) MALATHAAT (Curlin–Dreaming of Julia, by A.P. Indy)
O-Shadwell Stable. B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings (KY). T-Todd Pletcher. Sales History: $1,050,000 ylg '19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-0-0, $172,150.
Last Start: 1st GII Demoiselle S., AQU, Dec. 5
Accomplishments Include: 'TDN Rising Star', 1st Tempted S., AQU, Nov. 6
Next Start: GI Central Bank Ashland S., KEE, Apr. 3
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 10

At long last, we will get to see Malathaat perform as a 3-year-old. She hasn't run since winning the GII Demoiselle S. on Dec. 5 at Aqueduct. Was supposed to start her 3-year-old campaign in the Davona Dale S., but came down with a minor problem, which caused trainer Todd Pletcher to go back to the drawing board. Is the 9-5 morning line favorite in the Ashland. Can a horse win a race as tough as the Oaks off of just one prep?

5) SIMPLY RAVISHING (Laoban–Four Wishes, by More Than Ready)
O-Harold Lerner, Magdalena Racing & Nehoc Stables.
B-Meg Levy (NY). T-Ken McPeek. Sales History: $50,000 ylg '19 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: GISW, 5-3-0-0, $414,200.
Last Start: 4th GII Golden Rod S., CD, Nov. 28
Accomplishments Include: 1st GI Darley Alcibiades S., KEE,
Oct. 2, 1st P.G. Johnson S., SAR, Sept. 3
Next Start: GI Central Bank Ashland S., KEE, Apr. 3
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 13

Like Malathaat, she will be making her first start of 2021 in the Ashland, where she is the second choice in the line at 5-2. The New York-bred filly was brought around slowly by trainer Kenny McPeek, but has showed her sharpness in the mornings. She breezed a half-mile at Gulfstream in 46.53 on March 6. Had an up-and-down year in 2020, peaking with an easy win in the GI Alcibiades S. only to return with fourth-place finishes in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and the Golden Rod. In the GII Golden Rod, she was sent off at 7-10 and was beaten four lengths.

6) BEAUTIFUL GIFT (Medaglia d'Oro–Sea Gift, by A.P. Indy)
O/B-Baoma Corporation (KY). T-Bob Baffert. Lifetime Record: GSW, 3-2-0-1, $99,600.
Last Start: 1st GIII Santa Ysabel S., SA, Mar. 7
Next Start: GII Santa Anita Oaks, SA, Apr. 3
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 50

Trainer Bob Baffert doesn't have nearly the ammunition for the Oaks that he has for the GI Kentucky Derby, but you can never count him out in a major race. She broke her maiden in October and then wasn't seen again until she won the GIII Santa Ysabel S. at Santa Anita on March 7. She goes next in the Santa Anita Oaks, where she will have had the benefit of a race. Baffert also has Kalypso (Brody's Cause) knocking on the door for the Oaks, but she may be better suited to shorter distances.

7) SEARCH RESULTS (Flatter–Co Cola, by Candy Ride {Arg})
O-Klaravich Stables Inc. B-Machmer Hall (KY). T-Chad Brown. Sales History: $310,000 ylg '19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: SW, 2-2-0-0, $161,500.
Last Start: 1st Busher Invitational S., AQU, Mar. 6
Next Start: GIII Gazelle S., AQU, Apr. 3
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 50

Trainer Chad Brown has been very patient with this daughter of Flatter. She didn't make her first start until January and after winning a maiden race she sat out nearly two months before resurfacing in the March 6 Busher Invitational. A win there put her on the map so far as possible Kentucky Oaks starters go. Has never run beyond a mile or around two turns, but her pedigree suggests that won't be a problem. Brown also has The Grass Is Blue (Broken Vow), but her stock fell when was third in the Busher.

8) CRAZY BEAUTIFUL (Liam's Map–Indian Burn, by Indian Charlie)
O-Phoenix Thoroughbred III. B-Carolyn R. Vogel (KY). T-Ken McPeek. Sales History: $250,000 Ylg '19 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: GSW & GISP, 7-3-3-0, $388,365.
Last Start: 1st GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, GP, Mar. 27
Accomplishments Include: 'TDN Rising Star', 1st Ellis Debutante S., ELP, Aug. 9, 2nd GI Darley Alcibiades S., KEE, Oct. 2, 2nd GII Davona Dale S., GP, Feb. 27, 2nd GIII Pocahontas S., CD, Sept. 3
Next Start: GI Kentucky Oaks, CD, Apr. 30
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 128

The group of Florida-based 3-year-old fillies wasn't particularly strong this year, so handicappers will have to evaluate what Crazy Beautiful was up against in her win in the Gulfastream Park Oaks. A $250,000 purchase at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall yearling sale, she was a distant second in the GII Davona Dale and no doubt improved in what was her second start of the year. Plus, she did it impressively, closing from last after chasing slow early fractions. Kenny McPeek also won the 2020 Gulfstream Park Oaks with Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil), who finished second in the Kentucky Oaks.

9) WHOLEBODEMEISTER (Bodemeister–Wholelottashakin, by Scat Daddy)
O/B-Sabana Farm (KY). T-Juan Avila. Lifetime Record: GSW,
7-3-0-1, $175,922.
Last Start: 1st GII Davona Dale S., GP, Feb. 27
Next Start: GI Kentucky Oaks, CD, Apr. 30
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 52

Looks better after Crazy Beautiful came back to win the Gulfstream Park Oaks as she drilled that rival in the Davona Dale. But is still a tough read. She dominated in the Davone Dale, winning by 6 1/2 lengths at odds of 52-1. Before that, showed few signs that she might turn into a star. If the filly that won the Davona Dale shows up she is very much in the mix. But it's hard to have much faith in a horse who could be a one-race wonder.

10) ADVENTURING (Pioneerof the Nile–Questing {GB}, by Hard Spun)
O/B-Godolphin (KY). T-Brad Cox. Lifetime Record: SW, 4-2-1-1, $131,370.
Last Start: 1st Bourbonette Oaks, TP, Mar. 27
Next Start: GI Kentucky Oaks, CD, Apr. 30
Equineline PPs. KY Oaks Points: 50

Another tough read. She comes from the powerful Cox stable, has won two straight and looked good when winning the Bourbonette Oaks in her last start. But that win came over the Tapeta surfaced at Turfway and it's anyone's guess when it comes to whether or not she can beat top horses on dirt. Hails from the Godolphin stable, which has been on a tear all year. Definitely seems to be getting better with each start, but obviously hasn't faced the sort of top echelon fillies she will meet in the Oaks. With Geroux also riding Travel Column, she will need a new jockey at Churchill Downs.

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Simply Ravishing Squares Off With Undefeated Malathaat In Ashland

Shadwell Stable's undefeated Malathaat and Harold Lerner, Magdalena Racing and Nehoc Stables' Simply Ravishing headline a field of six 3-year-old fillies for Saturday's 84th running of the $400,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) going 1 1/16 miles on the main track at Keeneland.

The Central Bank Ashland carries 170 points toward qualification for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on April 30 at Churchill Downs on a 100-40-20-10 scale for the first- through fourth-place finishers. The stakes will go as the ninth race on Saturday's 11-race program with a 5:30 p.m. ET post time. First post time Saturday is 1:05 p.m.

A total of 34 fillies that have run in the Central Bank Ashland have gone on to win the Kentucky Oaks, most recently champion Monomoy Girl in 2018.

Favored at 9-5 on Mike Battaglia's morning line is Malathaat, who is making her 2021 debut. Trained by Todd Pletcher, Malathaat closed her 2020 campaign with a victory in the Demoiselle (G2) at Aqueduct. Joel Rosario, who won the 2014 Central Bank Ashland with Rosalind (who won the race in a dead heat with Room Service), has the mount and will break from post five.

Trained by two-time race winner Kenny McPeek, Simply Ravishing (5-2) romped to a 6¼-length victory in last fall's Darley Alcibiades (G1) before finishing a troubled fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). The Central Bank Ashland will mark her 2021 debut.

Luis Saez, who has been aboard for all three of Simply Ravishing's victories, has the mount and will break from post position three.

Four fillies have completed the Alcibiades-Ashland double with the most recent being Take Charge Lady in 2001-2002. McPeek trained Take Charge Lady.

Other to have done it are Silverbulletday (1998-1999), Optimistic Gal (1975-1976) and Doubledogdare (1955-1956).

Willis Horton Racing's Honeybee (G3) winner Will's Secret is the third choice at 7-2. Trained by Dallas Stewart, who won the 2019 Central Bank Ashland with Out for a Spin, Will's Secret has won her past three races, including the Martha Washington (L) at Oaklawn Park. Jon Court has the mount and will break from post six.

The field for the Central Bank Ashland, with riders from the rail out, is: Curlin's Catch (Chris Landeros, 8-1), Pass the Champagne (Javier Castellano, 4-1), Simply Ravishing (Saez, 5-2), Moon Swag (Adam Beschizza, 10-1), Malathaat (Rosario, 9-5), Will's Secret (Court, 7-2). All starters will carry 121 pounds.

CENTRAL BANK ASHLAND POST POSITION DRAW QUOTE

Kenny McPeek, trainer of Simply Ravishing (post 3; Luis Saez to ride)

“It will be good to get her going. She has been ready for a while. It will be nice to be back to Keeneland, where she won the Alcibiades (G1). She has been ready since early to mid-March, but I did not want to ship her from Florida. I have (Alcibiades) runner-up Crazy Beautiful, and I did not want to run them against each other in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) (won by Crazy Beautiful.) Simply Ravishing is extremely talented and she won the Alcibiades, so it just seemed logical to run her back in the Ashland.”

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