Going to Vegas Ready to Roll in the Buena Vista

Trainer Richard Baltas sends out expected favorite GI Rodeo Drive S. winner Going to Vegas (Goldencents) in Saturday's GII Buena Vista S. at Santa Anita. Last seen finishing 11th in a 12-horse field after setting the early pace in the GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, Going to Vegas shook off the rust with a five-furlong drill in 1:00 (2/20) Feb. 26 in Arcadia. Flavien Prat, who won the GII John C. Mabee S. aboard the 5-year-old mare last September, has the mount.

To win, she'll have to get by likely frontrunner Leggs Galore (Bayern), sent out by Phil D'Amato, who is coming off a big effort, winning last out down the hill in the Jan. 15 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint S. She carries four fewer pounds than Going to Vegas and will almost certainly set the pace.

Coming after them both will be George Krikorian's homebred Mucho Unusual (Mucho Macho Man), who, after a strong 2021 season, looks to improve on her second-place finish in last year's Buena Vista S. where she finished in front of Going to Vegas. She and Going to Vegas will both need to overcome outside post positions (Going to Vegas in the 10, Mucho Unusual in the 11), but have the class to do so.

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Leggs Galore Goes All The Way In Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf SPrint

Fresh and dangerous, William Sims' homebred Leggs Galore burst out of the gate and never looked back in taking Saturday's $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint Presented by John Deere by 2 ¼ lengths under Ricky Gonzalez. Trained by Phil D'Amato, the 5-year-old mare by 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Bayern got about 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita's hillside turf course in 1:12.99.

Idle since running fourth in the one mile turf Solana Beach Stakes versus statebreds at Del Mar Aug. 15, Leggs Galore was plenty ready today, rattling off splits of 22.27, 44.66 and 1:06.86 while never challenged at any point.

“She saddled great, she was fresh and happy,” said D'Amato. “She just needed a little rest and recuperation after a long year last year. She has come back great. I think she is a double threat, I think she can (get a) mile just as easily as she can sprint on the grass. We will check our options, but down the road we want to see if we can get a graded stake win and make her a broodmare at the end of the year.”

The defending champ in the race and a three-time turf stakes winner coming into Saturday, Leggs Galore was off as the 5-2 second choice in a field of 12 older fillies and mares bred or sired in California and she paid $7.20, $5.20 and $4.60.

Out of the Indian Charlie mare Cashing Tickets, Leggs Galore notched her fourth stakes win and seventh overall win from 12 career starts. With the winner's share of $90,000, she increased her earnings to $440,208.

“I was a little worried about crossing the dirt (at the top of the lane) because she has a tendency of jumping in the other chute (off of Santa Anita's Club House turn), but she took it like the champ she is. She just skipped right over it and kicked for home really good.”

D'Amato ran one-two, as his Alice Marble, who was close to the pace throughout, was easily second finishing 2 ½ lengths in front of Eddie's New Dream. Off at 9-1 with Flavien Prat, Alice Marble paid $9.40 and $6.60.

Eddie's New Dream, who was also attentive to the pace, finished a head better than favored Warren's Showtime and paid $6.60 to show with Mario Gutierrez up.

Warren's Showtime, whose customary late bid fell short today, was off at 5-2 with Juan Hernandez and was beaten by less than four lengths.

Carded as race eight, the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint Presented by John Deere was the third of five stakes for California-bred or sired horses on a 10-race Cal Cup program.

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Sedamar Could Cap Big Week For Ruis With Win In Solana Beach At Del Mar

A victory by Sedamar in Sunday's $150,000 Solana Beach Stakes would be the latest reason to celebrate for Ruis Racing headed by San Diegans Mick and Wendy Ruis and their daughter Shelbe.

On Tuesday, some initial progeny of prized stallion Bolt d'Oro, whom Mick trained to win the 2017 Del Mar Futurity, battle eventual Triple Crown champion Justify in the 2018 Santa Anita Derby and go on to run in the Kentucky Derby, had an impact on the prestigious Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale.

From Joe Nevills in The Paulick Report:

“The Grade I-winning son of Medaglia d'Oro was responsible for the sale's most expensive yearling by a first-crop sire, when a half-brother to 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra sold to Larry Best's OXO Equine for $1.4 million …

“Bolt d'Oro yearlings were received incredibly well in Saratoga. Ten of the 12 that went through the ring sold for an average of $407,000 and he had three yearlings sell for $500,000 or more.”

Here at Del Mar on Friday, Shelbe, who became the first (and still only) female trainer to win the Grade 1 Debutante (Union Strike, 2016), saddled Ruis Racing's Cool Your Jets ($8.40) to win the fifth race. It was the first win in 16 lifetime starts for Cool Your Jets and the second win for Shelbe Ruis from six starters at the meeting.

It will be something of an upset for Sedamar, a 5-year-old Ruis-homebred daughter of Richard's Kid, to win the Solana Beach, a mile turf test for California-bred older fillies and mares. Among her chief rivals are Warren's Showtime (6-5 morning line), a multiple graded-stakes winner, and Leggs Galore (5-2), who finished ahead of Warren's Showtime twice in three matchups this year.

But Ruis has reason to believe it could happen.

“I think she has a chance to win if she gets the right trip,” Ruis said earlier this week. “I think she could have won her last race (4th in the Osunitas Stakes) against open company.”

The field for the Solana Beach from the rail out with jockeys and morning line odds in parenthesis: Pulpit Rider (Flavien Prat, 5-1); Leggs Galore (Ricky Gonzalez); Nardini (Kyle Frey, 12-1); Sedamar (Drayden Van Dyke, 4-1); Warm Summer (Abel Cedillo, 15-1); Cassie Belle (Tyler Baze, 15-1), and Warren's Showtime (Juan Hernandez).

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Warren’s Showtime Reels In Leggs Galore As Cal-Breds Run 1-2 In Wilshire

Hard-hitting Warren's Showtime got the early pace pressure she's been craving the entire meet and took full advantage on closing day Sunday at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as she unfurled an impressive stretch kick to take the Grade 3, $100,000 Wilshire Stakes.  Owned and bred in California by Ben and Sally Warren, trained by Craig Lewis and ridden by Juan Hernandez, Warren's Showtime won going away over pacesetter Leggs Galore while stopping the clock of a mile on turf in 1:34.29.

As expected, Leggs Galore was hustled away from the gate by Ricky Gonzalez and she held a 1 ¾-length advantage over Chilean-bred Brooke as the field straightened up for their run up the backside with long-striding Warren's Showtime ambling along while next to last.

Although Leggs Galore spurted clear, commanding a two-length edge on Brooke at the quarter pole, Warren's Showtime was in high gear under Hernandez, who wheeled four-wide at the top of the lane.  From there, there was no stopping the 4-year-old daughter of Clubhouse Ride, as she broke a six-race losing streak while notching her second career graded stakes victory.

Most recently a close second to Leggs Galore in the statebred Fran's Valentine Stakes at one mile on turf May 9, Warren's Showtime was off as the 2-1 favorite in a field of eight fillies and mares three and up and paid $6.00, $3.00 and $2.20.

“She's a racehorse, she lays it down every time, she gives everything she can give and that's all you could ask,” said Lewis, who also trained both the sire and dam of the winner.  “Juan is a really good rider and he's a got a good agent, so it works well together.  I had a little anxiety, but I felt like today was going to be her day.  It looked like there would be a realistic pace. …She looks like a million dollars and by the way, she's close to getting to that point.  We're hoping she does, but she's just a wonderful filly and gives you what she can.

“Today was her day.  I told Juan to be as patient as he could because we knew they were going to go fast today. …I am very excited about the future for Clubhouse Ride.  He's a beast.”

By millionaire Clubhouse Ride, out of Warren's Grade I stakes winning Affirmative mare Warren's Veneda, Warren's Showtime notched her sixth stakes win and improved her overall mark 20-7-2-9.  With the winner's share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $697,431.

“We've been knocking on the door the last few times, we were third, second, just missing the winner, but today I think the pace was the key,” said Hernandez, who registered his second stake win and third overall victory on the day.  “That was a good pace for us because she was flying at the end…Today, I kind of moved a little earlier, so when I passed the other filly, I said, 'I got it.'”

Gallant in defeat, Leggs Galore finished a neck in front of Brooke and paid $3.40 and $2.20  while off at 7-2.

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Brooke, who pressed the pace throughout, was third-best and paid $4.00 to show while finishing 1 ¼ lengths better than Ippodamia's Girl.

Fractions on the Wilshire were 22.45, 45.97, 1:10.04 and 1:22.19.

Live racing will resume at Santa Anita with opening day of the track's Autumn Meet on Oct. 1.

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