Madaket Stables | Horse Racing Free Tips

Shantisara, Technical Analysis In Good Shape After Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup

It may have been a different week, but the upbeat sounds of success still reverberated at the Chad Brown barn.

Shantisara (IRE) and Technical Analysis (IRE) provided the barn with its second consecutive Grade 1 exacta sweep with their 1-2 finish in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup presented by Dixiana on Saturday at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

“Those are two nice fillies, and they are in good shape this morning,” said Baldo Hernandez, who is overseeing the Brown string at Keeneland. “They may be going back to New York tomorrow.”

Shantisara, owned by the partnership of Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Robert LaPenta, surged to a record-setting five-length victory over Klaravich Stables' Technical Analysis.

The previous week, the Brown-trained duo of Blowout (GB) and Regal Glory ran 1-2 in the Grade 1 First Lady Presented by UK HealthCare for owner Peter Brant.

Hernandez said Blowout and Regal Glory also would be heading back to New York with the Queen Elizabeth II runners.

Flavien Prat rode both Grade 1 winners with Jose Ortiz finishing second in both races. Prat will attempt to double up for Brown this afternoon at Woodbine when he rides Kalifornia Queen (GER) in the $600,000 Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine Race Track in Toronto, Ontario.

Trainer Brad Cox was pleased with the third-place effort of Michael De Broglio's Burning Ambition in the filly's graded stakes debut.

“I have no idea what I am going to do with her next since there is obviously no turf racing in Kentucky for a while,” Cox said. “Possibly the ($300,000) American Oaks (G1 at 1¼ miles on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita).”

Eclipse Thoroughbreds and TOLO Thoroughbreds' Queen Goddess, who finished fifth in her stakes debut, will train at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., the next couple of weeks and then ship to California, trainer Michael McCarthy said via text.

Harris Farms' Closing Remarks, sixth on Saturday, was scheduled to return to trainer Carla Gaines' base at Santa Anita on Tuesday.

James Wigan's Cloudy Dawn (IRE), seventh in her U.S. debut for trainer William Haggas, was scheduled to ship back to Europe on Monday, according to head lad Suraj Bissessur.

Watts Humphrey Jr.'s Flippant is scheduled for a 2-3 month break following her eighth-place finish, according to Phil Oliver, husband of trainer Vicki Oliver.

Leaving for Europe today was Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith's Empress Josephine (IRE), who finished ninth as the favorite.

“The lack of cover early in the race didn't help her,” said Kieran Murphy, who has overseen the filly's training at Keeneland for Aidan O'Brien. “It was tough to come back that quick from what was a tough race last week for her (in the First Lady in which she was third).”

Murphy also said Katsumi Yoshida's Nicest (IRE), who finished fourth for trainer Donnacha O'Brien, would not be leaving Sunday with plans to be determined.

Charles Fipke's undefeated Lady Speightspeare, who was scratched at the starting gate prior to the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Presented by Dixiana, is scheduled to return to Woodbine on Monday.

“She's OK this morning. It's just disappointing to come all this way and not run,” said Ally Walker, assistant to trainer Roger Attfield. “She has a bit of a wild side, and yesterday she reared up four times in the gate and then tried to lay down.”

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Brown’s Bevy Of Breeders’ Cup Hopefuls Work At Belmont

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown breezed a number of his Breeders' Cup contenders Saturday at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., including Grade 1 Champagne-winner Jack Christopher, who worked a half-mile in :49.05 over Big Sandy.

Brown, a 15-time Breeders' Cup winner, said Jim Bakke, Gerald Isbister, Coolmore Stud, and Peter Brant's well-regarded Munnings chestnut is on target for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile on November 5 at Del Mar.

“He was great. He was in control the entire way and galloped out super. He came back good,” Brown said.

Brown said he's feeling good about his Breeders' Cup contingent, a number of which breezed over the inner turf Saturday at Belmont.

“A lot of them are coming into the race well,” Brown said. “These are tough races we're going in. The Breeders' Cup races are always that way but we have some shots in a number of races, so we'll see.”

Klaravich Stables' multiple Grade 1-winner Domestic Spending breezed five-eighths in 1:01.85 in company with Peter Brant's multiple Grade 1-winner Raging Bull.

“They went excellent this morning. Both horses are on target for the Breeders' Cup,” Brown said.

Domestic Spending, a 4-year-old Kingman gelding pointed to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Turf, completed his sophomore season with a win in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby in November at Del Mar in Del Mar, Calif.

He returned on May 1 to dead heat for victory with Colonel Liam in the Grade 1 Bourbon Turf Classic at Churchill Downs and completed a Grade 1 triple with a 2 3/4-length score over stablemate Tribhuvan in the Manhattan ahead of a closing second in the Grade 1 Mr. D on August 14 at Arlington Park.

“He breezed great today and galloped out strong. He's very fit,” Brown said.

Domestic Spending is one of three Breeders' Cup Turf contenders for Brown along with Tribhuvan and recent Grade 1 Joe Hirsch Turf Classic-winner Rockemperor.

Brown said Tribhuvan [1:00.50] worked well this morning, traveling in company with Group 2-placed filly Nazuna [1:00.40].

Raging Bull, a 6-year-old son of Dark Angel, is pointed to the Breeders' Cup Mile following a closing third in the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile on September 18 which was contested over good going.

“He's looking for really fast ground and I expect to get that at Del Mar,” Brown said.

Brown noted that he would pre-enter Blowout, recent winner of the Grade 1 First Lady at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., to the Mile.

Peter Brant's My Sister Nat [:49.23] and Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael J. Caruso's Orglandes [:49.26] worked a half-mile in company over the inner turf.

My Sister Nat captured the 11-furlong Grade 3 Waya last out on October 3 at Belmont and will travel the same distance at Del Mar on November 6 in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf.

“The mile and three-eighths is a good trip for her,” Brown said.

Juddmonte's Pocket Square [1:02.02], also on target for the Filly and Mare Turf, worked five-eighths in company with Swift Thoroughbreds', Madaket Stables, and Wonder Stables Tamahere [1:02.11] over the inner turf.

Pocket Square, a winner of 5-of-9 starts, captured the Grade 3 Athenia at nine furlongs over good Belmont turf on September 25.

“The filly is training pretty good. I'm going to pre-enter her in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf and see what it looks like,” Brown said. “Her last race really changed my mind about her. I thought she ran good at that distance and the way she galloped out steady.

“If she's good enough or not, I'm not sure,” he added. “It's not a definite she's going but I want to take a look at it and see.”

Tamahere, last-out winner of the Violet over yielding Monmouth Park turf on September 25, is pointed to next Saturday's Grade 2 Noble Damsel.

Klaravich Stables' Portfolio Company, a 2-year-old Kitten's Joy bay, breezed a half-mile in :49.41 in company with General Ken, a recent private purchase for an ownership group led by Louis Lazzinnaro.

A maiden winner, Portfolio Company finished second in both the Grade 3 With Anticipation in September at Saratoga and the Grade 2 Pilgrim last out on October 3 at Belmont. He is targeting the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

General Ken, a Violence juvenile, earned a 74 Beyer for a front-running 7 1/4-length maiden score traveling a mile and seventy yards over good Delaware Park turf.

Brown said General Ken will target the $100,000 Awad, a 1 1/16-mile turf test on October 31 at Belmont.

“The horse has settled in nicely and is training along well,” Brown said. “His one win looked impressive. He came to us in good shape, so we'll see. I liked his breeze on the turf today.”

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf contender Consumer Spending, last-out winner of the Selima at Laurel Park, worked a half-mile in :50 flat over the Belmont main track.

Brown also confirmed that Royal Flag, last-out winner of the Grade 2 Beldame, will target the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Brown will send out a trio of contenders for Sunday's Grade 1 E.P. Taylor at Woodbine, led by defending champ Etoile along with Kalifornia Queen and Great Island.

Last year, a prominent Etoile captured the 10-furlong test over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course by a neck. The 5-year-old Siyouni mare has made just two starts this season, finishing fourth in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley in April at Keeneland ahead of a closing second to returning rival Mutamakina in the Grade 2 Dance Smartly at Woodbine.

“She seems to like it up there and it made a lot of sense to let her defend her title there,” Brown said. “She made a nice run last time. She's training well and she's fresh. I expect her to run well.”

Irad Ortiz, Jr. will pilot Etoile from post 2.

Brown said that Kalifornia Queen, a closing third last out in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa at Saratoga, is training well ahead of her first Grade 1 appearance in North America.

“She certainly is [improving]. I think she's sitting on her best race,” Brown said.

Flavien Prat retains the mount from post 4.

Brown will also be represented by Great Island [post 8, Rafael Hernandez], who captured the Grade 3 Matchmaker two starts back over firm Monmouth turf.

The E.P. Taylor, slated as Race 8 at 4:37 p.m., also features a pair of starters for Belmont-based trainer Christophe Clement in Mutamakina [post 6, Dylan Davis] and La Dragontea [post 10, Joel Rosario].

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Following Sea Earns 100 Beyer Speed Figure For Vosburgh, Mind Control To Start In BC Dirt Mile

Spendthrift Farm's homebred Following Sea matched a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure for his impressive gate-to-wire score in Saturday's $250,000 Grade 2 Vosburgh at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Piloted by Joel Rosario from the outermost post 4 in the six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up, Following Sea broke alertly and established command through splits of :22.59 and a half-mile in :45.24 on the fast main track.

Confidently handled throughout, Following Sea drew off to a 4 3/4-length score over multiple graded stakes winning millionaire Firenze Fire in a final time of 1:09.20.

The victory provided a “Win and You're In” berth to the $2 million Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint on Nov. 6 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif., and also secured Following Sea's sire Runhappy his first graded stakes winner.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher said he was pleased with the confident score by the lightly-raced sophomore.

“I wasn't 100 percent sure how the pace scenario was going to unfold,” Pletcher said. “We had the benefit of drawing an outside post, so we didn't have to make any strong commitment one way or the other. When he broke as well as he did, Joel asked him to go and he made the lead pretty effortlessly. I felt pretty confident at that point that he'd run well. He's come out of the race really well.”

Following Sea garnered a 100 Beyer in a 6 1/2-furlong allowance sprint against older company on June 3 in his first start for Pletcher. The talented bay was elevated to second in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Haskell in July at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., before turning back to seven furlongs and finishing third in the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on August 28 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Pletcher said Following Sea could stretch out again in future engagements.

“He's a very talented horse and trains very impressively. He's also galloped out in a fashion that would indicate he might want to run longer at some point,” Pletcher said. “He's very fast and his two wins for us at Belmont were pretty impressive. It seemed like he had a lot left in the tank yesterday. He's a leggy colt, so I think he could continue to improve.”

Pletcher said no decision has been made as of yet regarding a start in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

“We had a brief exchange [with the connections] after the race and haven't committed to anything,” Pletcher said. “Obviously, being a 'Win and You're In' for the Sprint is attractive, but we'll see how the horse bounces back and talk to all the connections and come up with a game plan.”

Red Oak Stable and Madaket Stables' multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Mind Control breezed a half-mile in :50.17 Friday over the Belmont dirt training track in his first work back following a game head score over Silver State in the Parx Dirt Mile on September 25.

“He looked like he was beaten and fought back gamely. It was impressive,” Pletcher said. “He's come back and trained with good energy and enthusiasm like he normally does.”

Mind Control earned a “Win and You're In” berth to the Breeders' Cup Sprint for his Grade 2 John A. Nerud score here in July but Pletcher said following discussions with Red Oak Stable racing manager Rick Sacco that they have decided to enter the 5-year-old Stay Thirsty horse in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile on November 6 at Del Mar.

“I spoke with Rick Sacco after his breeze here the other day and we're going to give the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile a try,” Pletcher said. “I think as he's gotten older he's indicated that he wants to stretch out a little bit.”

Mind Control, who sports a ledger of 23-9-3-4 with purse earnings in excess of $1.4 million, captured the 2018 Grade 1 Hopeful and 2019 Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial at Saratoga. Since being transferred to Pletcher this summer, Mind Control has won 2-of-3 starts, including a head score over Firenze Fire in the seven-furlong Nerud.

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Pletcher will also be represented in the Dirt Mile by CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm's Life Is Good. The sophomore son of Into Mischief worked a half-mile Friday in :48.84 over the Belmont dirt training track in his first work back following a decisive 5 1/2-length score in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap on September 25 at Belmont.

“He's doing exceptionally well. He's a very impressive horse to watch train and his breeze was effortless,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher said the running style of Life Is Good, who captured the Grade 3 Sham and Grade 2 San Felipe at Santa Anita this winter for his former conditioner Bob Baffert, should complement that of his stablemate in the Dirt Mile.

“Life is Good is a very fast horse and I'd imagine he would be a significant pace factor and Mind Control would settle off the pace a little bit,” Pletcher said.

Shadwell Stable's multiple Grade 1-winner Malathaat breezed five-eighths in 1:01.42 Friday over the Belmont dirt training track. Pletcher said the regally-bred Curlin filly, out of the Grade 1-winning A.P. Indy mare Dreaming of Julia, is on target for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff on November 6.

“Just like always, she's a star. She trained well and galloped out strongly,” Pletcher said. “We have a couple more breezes to go, but we're very happy with where she is.”

Malathaat has won 6 of 7 starts, including Grade 1 scores this year in the Ashland at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.; the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.; and the Alabama at Saratoga.

StarLadies Racing's Jordan's Leo breezed a half-mile in :48.55 Saturday on the Belmont inner turf in preparation for the $200,000 Grade 2 Sands Point, a nine-furlong turf test for sophomore fillies on October 16.

By Malibu Moon, the $150,000 Fasig-Tipton July Kentucky Yearling Sale purchase posted a smart nine-furlong turf allowance win in August at the Spa ahead of a prominent second last out in the one-mile Pebbles October 9 on the Belmont lawn.

“She worked well yesterday,” Pletcher said. “I thought her effort in the Pebbles was a good performance, so we'll give her a chance to try again.”

Mrs. John Magnier, Michael B. Tabor, Derrick Smith, and Westerberg's Sweet as Pie, a 2-year-old Tapit grey, garnered a 77 Beyer for a rallying 1 1/4-length score sprinting 6 1/2-furlongs in her debut Friday over Big Sandy.

“We were optimistic going in that she would have a good debut,” Pletcher said. “She drew the rail – which is always a concern going 6 1/2-furlongs – but I thought she handled it very professionally and finished up well.”

Out of the stakes-winning Smart Strike mare Treasuring, Sweet as Pie was purchased for $490,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase.

Sweet as Pie will now target the $150,000 Tempted, a one-turn mile that will be contested on November 5 over Big Sandy following Saturday's announcement regarding the three-day extension of the Belmont fall meet.

Pletcher said if all goes well, Sweet as Pie will continue to the nine-furlong $250,000 Grade 2 Demoiselle on December 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., which offers 10-4-2-1 qualifying points for the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks.

“She has a pedigree that suggests she'd want to run further,” Pletcher said. “It's a good progression for her and the Tempted and Demoiselle could be a nice path for her.”

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Sacred Life Swoops In Late To Take Knickerbocker At Belmont

Field Pass took the lead in the opening strides of the Grade 3 Knickerbocker and looked poised to take the field gate to wire when Sacred Life powered down the stretch to nip Field Pass at the wire at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

Breaking from the rail, Field Pass took the lead at the start, moving out to a one-length advantage around the first turn and into the backstretch. Sacred Life hung out toward the back of the pack, next to last in front of only Corelli early. Around the far turn, Temple moved up on the outside to challenge Field Pass, but the leader dug in, maintaining his one-length lead as the field approached the wire.

Trapped behind horses on the rail, Jose Ortiz took advantage of an opening at the top of the stretch to move between horses and find an opening running lane. Once clear, Sacred Life poured on the speed, boldly moving down the center of the track as the wire approached, catching Field Pass in the final jumps. The final time for the 1 1/8 miles on the firm turf was 1:46.66.

Sacred Life paid $12.80, $5.40, and $4.60. Field Pass paid $7.40 and $5.30. Temple paid $6.80. Find this race's chart here.

“He's [Sacred Life] trained well. He's an honest horse. It just hasn't worked out for him in some of his races and he clicked with Jose [Ortiz] today and got a great trip. He got some pace to run into and made a late run and was able to get up at the wire. It was an exciting finish. It looked a little more fun for Jose than it did for me,” Dan Stupps, assistant to trainer Chad Brown, said after the race.

“He has no speed early on and I had to ride him from early. At the six furlongs, I started pushing on him and he was coming little by little. I knew sooner or later he would pick it up and he picked up nicely around the half-mile and then I just wanted for Rosario [Joel, aboard No. 2, Breaking the Rules] to go and I followed him,” jockey Jose Ortiz told the NYRA Press Office after the Knickerbocker. “I had a lot of room to work with [moving inside of Manny Franco aboard No. 4, L'Imperator in the stretch run] so I decided to do it. He was flying late. I just had to keep him straight.”

Bred in France by Viktor Timoshenko and Andriy Milovanov, Sacred Life is by Siyouni (FR) out of the Montjeu mare Knyazhna (IRE). He is owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables, and Michael Caruso. Consigned by Quesnay, Sacred Life was sold for $55,925 to Chantilly Bloodstock Agency at the 2016 Arqana Deauville August Yearlings Sale. The G3 Knickerbocker is the 6-year-old ridgling's first win of 2021, for a lifetime record of seven wins in 21 starts and career earnings of $616,768.

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