Subconscious Streaks To Third Consecutive Win In Twilight Derby

In his biggest career assignment, the Richard Mandella-conditioned Subconscious blew by heavily favored Rock Your World turning for home and bounded to a 1 ¼-length victory in Santa Anita's closing day Grade 2, $200,000 Twilight Derby in Arcadia, Calif.  Ridden to victory for the third time in a row by Juan Hernandez, Subconscious got 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:47 flat.

Breaking alertly from post position two in the field of 10 sophomores, Subconscious sat a comfortable second, about a length and a half off of Rock Your World into the Club House turn and held his position in the run up the backside.  Three furlongs from home, Hernandez angled outside while a half-length back and at the top of the lane he was in command with longshot Cathkin Peak a length and a half back to his outside.

“Mr. Mandella told me if they went too (fast) in front, just to sit behind them because he's getting to relax and he runs better like that,” said Hernandez, who notched his third win on the day and his fourth stakes win of the 16-day meeting.  “I just let the speed go and he relaxed pretty well for me today, so I think that was the key, just to stay behind the speed.

“I thought for a moment (Rock Your World) was never going to stop.  That's why I put a little pressure (on him) around the half mile to ask him to move, but my horse helped me a lot, he responded really well.  When we kicked for home, he just exploded…He wouldn't get beat by the other horses.”

A 1 1/16 mile maiden turf winner in his fourth start on Aug. 21, Subconscious was most recently an impressive one-mile turf allowance winner at Santa Anita on Oct. 2.  In his first stakes assignment, he was off as the 5-2 second choice today and paid $7.80, $4.80 and $3.80.

A $380,000 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale weanling purchase, Subconscious is owned by LNJ Foxwoods.  Gelded following his third start on June 23, Subconscious, a 3-year-old by Tapit out of the Candy Ride mare Sweet Dreams, now has three wins from six starts—all on turf.  With the winner's share of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $219,820.

When asked if he thought the gelding process has been a significant factor in the development of Subconscious, assistant trainer Gary Mandella responded, “Yes, it's nice to see him live up to his potential now with that part of it straightened out.  He's a serious horse now.  The first time we saw him, we had really high hopes for him.  He had a little trouble with a knee, had a surgery and we turned him out.

“But even if that hadn't of happened, mentally, he just wasn't there.  Now he is and he's got it all figured out and you can see what he's turned into with these three (wins) in a row.”

Next to last and about seven lengths off the lead with a quarter mile to run, Irish-bred Cathkin Peak charged up the rail late in a huge effort to be second, finishing a half length in front of Beyond Brilliant.  Ridden by Jose Valdivia, Jr., Cathkin Peak was off at 26-1 and paid $16.00 and $11.00.

Attentive to the pace throughout, Beyond Brilliant took up the chase for victory when Rock Your World faded a furlong from home and out-finished Hudson Ridge by three quarters of length to pay $8.60 to show.

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Rock Your World a winner of the G1 Santa Anita Derby in April and undefeated in two prior starts on grass, had no apparent excuses while finishing next to last at 6-5.

Fractions on the race were 23.76, 47.46, 1:11.52 and 1:35.04.

With $4.5 million in new money bet into today's mandatory payout 20 cent Rainbow Pick Six, there was total Rainbow Six pool of $5.3 million, resulting in 354 winning tickets that were each worth $12,164.90.

Live racing resumes with opening day of Santa Anita's Winter/Spring Meeting on Sunday, Dec. 26.

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United Battles Back From Wide Trip To Defend John Henry Turf Championship Title

Decorated 6-year-old gelding United didn't get the easiest trip in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at Santa Anita Park on Oct. 2, but he prevailed all the same, clinching his second edition of the stakes race. United and rider Flavien Prat were shuffled back in the early going on the downhill turf course, and settled near the back of the field on the first trip past the stands as Acclimate and Neptune's Storm controlled the pace. Prat kept United off the rail and quietly passed a few horses before taking a breather on the backstretch. The pair made their move even before the final turn, swinging wide and picking off rivals, charging just in time to catch Acclimate and to just top Friar's Road, who was putting in a last-to-first effort.

The final time for the 1 1/4 miles was 1:58.41, with fractional times of :22.70, :46.32, 1:11.42, and 1:35.01. Acclimate held on for second over Friar's Road.

United went off the favorite at odds of 7-5 and paid $4.80, $3.40, and $2.40.

The Richard Mandella trainee came to the race off a fourth place finish in the G2 Del Mar Handicap, where Acclimate just nosed him off the board. His credits from this year include wins in the G2 Eddie Read and G3 San Luis Rey. Last year, he won or finished second in five of six starts, collecting four graded victories but finishing a disappointing eighth in the Breeders' Cup Turf.

The race was he fourth win on the card for Prat, and the second for Mandella and owner LNJ Foxwoods.

United was bred in Kentucky by Rosemont Farm. He is the son of Giant's Causeway and Pulling Punches mare Indy Punches. As a weanling, he sold for $240,000 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where he was consigned by Trackside Farm and purchased by Glencrest Farm. He went on to the Saratoga Selected Yearling Sale the next year, where he raised $300,000 from purchaser Solis/Litt and was presented by Four Star Sales.

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Going To Vegas Holds Off Luck In Rodeo Drive Stakes

Like a casino sending gamblers home empty handed, Going to Vegas refused to let the furious rush of Luck prevail on Saturday in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Going to Vegas, a 4-year-old Goldencents filly got out early in the 1 1/4-mile turf race, and quickly got to the rail under jockey Umberto Rispoli, and she crossed over from the downhill course to the main oval ahead of Dogtag on the inside and longshot Neige Blanche on her outside hip.

Going to Vegas held a comfortable 1 1/2-length lead over Neige Blanche after an opening quarter-mile in :24.35 seconds, and she maintained that margin as the field went past the finish for the first time. The top three positions went unchanged as they headed into the backstretch, with Rispoli keeping Going to Vegas under light restraint.

The race started to percolate after the three-quarters mark in 1:13.49, with jockey Flavien Prat starting to rouse Luck from the middle of the field. Luck got up to third place behind Going to Vegas and Neige Blanche heading into the final turn, and she was in second after a mile in 1:36.35.

Rispoli started urging Going to Vegas in the straightaway with a right-handed crop, as they worked to hold off a pair of LNJ Foxwoods-owned runners in ground-saving Dogtag and outside-moving Luck.

Luck was gaining ground on Going to Vegas as the wire approached, but she ran out of time and real estate, finishing a head behind the winner. Stablemate Dogtag carried on for third.

Going to Vegas stopped the clock in 1:58.84 over a fast main track. She paid $4.20 as the post-time favorite.

Richard Baltas trains Going to Vegas for owners Abbondanza Racing, Medallion Racing, and MyRacehorse. Saturday's victory improved the filly's record to seven wins in 22 starts for earnings of $634,151.

Bred in Kentucky by J. Kirk and Judy Robison, Going to Vegas is out of the stakes-winning Johannesburg mare Hard to Resist.

To view the Equibase chart, click here.

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LNJ Foxwoods Duo Take on Rodeo Drive

LNJ Foxwoods' sends out a pair of homebreds from two different barns in Luck (Kitten's Joy) and Dogtag (War Front), both of whom have a good chance to secure a spot in the gate for the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Turf next month in Saturday's GI Rodeo Drive S. at Santa Anita. Luck kicked off her career in France for trainer Alain De Royer-Dupre, winning two of four starts going long on the synthetic, including an Apr. 1 allowance. Sixth in her final European start on turf May 8, she was moved Stateside to trainer Richard Baltas and impressed in her U.S. debut, going from last to first in a Del Mar optional claimer Aug. 7, good for a 90 Beyer Speed Figure.

Dogtag will carry the same navy and gold colors, but hails from the Richard Mandella barn. A three-time listed stakes winner, she has been knocking at the door of a graded victory for some time. The gray has been second in her last four starts, including the Aug. 7 GII Yellow Ribbon H. and Sept. 4 GII John C. Mabee S. at Del Mar.

John Mabee winner Going to Vegas (Goldencents) runs back here as well. Runner-up in the GI American Oaks last term, the bay won the GIII Santa Ana S. Mar. 27 and was fifth in the May 31 GI Gamely S., but rebounded with an optional claimer win at Del Mar July 16.

Also exiting the Mabee is Brazilian import Fast Jet Court (Brz) (Courtier), who was making her American bow when fourth in that event.

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