Malathaat | Horse Racing Free Tips

Eight Well-Matched Fillies Look to Ace Test

With the door to a divisional title slightly left ajar by Malathaat (Curlin)'s recent upset loss, eight evenly-matched sophomore fillies will line up in Saturday's GI Longines Test S. at Saratoga.

Slightly favored on the morning line is Klaravich Stables' Search Results (Flatter), who, if not for the length of a Malathaat neck, may herself be favored for champion 3-year-old filly honors as the calendar turns to the season's second half. A four-length debut victress Jan. 3 at Gulfstream, the $310,000 Keeneland September purchase repeated with a pair of scores in the Busher Invitational S. and GII Gazelle S. at Aqueduct before falling just short when runner-up in the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks. She got right back to business with a hard-fought success in the GI Acorn S. June 5 at Belmont, a race out of which the second and third finishers will re-oppose.

The runner-up that day was Juddmonte Farms' Obligatory (Curlin), but the ascendant homebred may have run the best race, closing into a slow pace to miss by a half-length and getting her final quarter in a sharp :23.74. Prior to that, the gray was a visually-impressive maiden winner at Gulfstream, and after a disappointing fourth in the GII Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks, upset the GII Eight Belles S. at 16-1 in a last-to-first flourish.

The top two from June 26's GII Mother Goose S. at Belmont also re-engage here. The winner that day, Shadwell Stable's Zaajel (Street Sense), was the longest shot on the board at 18-1, improving her career-high Beyer by 23 points to 96, while the runner-up, 'TDN Rising Star' Always Carina (Malibu Moon), suffered her first defeat after going two-for-two by a combined 13 3/4 lengths to start her career.

Overachieving Bella Sofia (Awesome Patriot) will get the acid test after two dominant scores in three starts to open her account. Crushing maiden special weight foes by 11 1/4 lengths debuting at 8-1 May 6 at Belmont, the $20,000 ran a good second when thrown into stakes waters in the Jersey Girl S. there June 6 and came right back to romp by 6 1/2 lengths over allowance rivals July 11 at Big Sandy.

Rounding out the field are Souper Sensational (Curlin), an impressive victress of the GIII Victory Ride S. last out July 10 at Belmont, Make Mischief (Into Mischief), third in both the Eight Belles and Acorn, and Illumination (Medaglia d'Oro), an eight-length maiden winner last out who will be previously-suspended trainer Bob Baffert's first starter at Saratoga since he was granted injunctive relief by a judge.

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Malathaat to Target Alabama

Shadwell Stable's Malathaat (Curlin), who suffered her first career defeat when second behind Maracuja (Honor Code) as the heavy favorite in the four-horse GI Coaching Club American Oaks Saturday, will be aimed at a likely rematch with that filly in the Aug. 21 GI Alabama S.

“We had a difficult time analyzing the race beforehand and how we thought it might unfold,” admitted trainer Todd Pletcher. “There wasn't a lot of speed on paper and we were in the one post with a target on our backs, so our strategy was to let her run away from the gate and try to establish a position into the first turn, or if someone was to clear us, hopefully move out into the clear.

“Everyone left there with the same intention and by the time we got to the first quarter, we'd gone :23 and 1, which is fine if we could have a little breather along the way,” Pletcher continued. “But as soon as we got on the backside, Irad [Ortiz, Jr. aboard Clairiere] made a move and put pressure on her. She kind of had to fight off the whole field. When you're a heavy favorite in a race like that with a short field, those things can happen. I'm not disappointed with the filly at all. I thought she ran bravely considering everything that was thrown at her off the layoff. If she comes back well, we'll point towards the Alabama.”

Pletcher said CHC and WinStar Farm's Life is Good (Into Mischief), a recent addition to his New York-based stable, could make his next start in the Aug. 28 GI H. Allen Jerkens Memorial S. or in the Aug. 24 GIII Smarty Jones S. at Parx following a four-furlong drill in :48.88 (5/27) at Saratoga Saturday.

“He's a very impressive horse to watch train. He did that well in hand throughout,” Pletcher said of the work. “We'll play it by ear, but we have a couple of options with the Allen Jerkens here and the Smarty Jones at Parx would be a possibility if we needed more time. He's a super talented horse and we're fortunate to have him.”

Unbeaten in three lifetime starts, Life is Good has not started since romping to an eight-length victory in the Mar. 6 GII San Felipe S. for trainer Bob Baffert.

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Alabama Possible Next Stop For Malathaat

Shadwell Stable's Malathaat garnered a career-best 96 Beyer for her game runner-up effort to Maracuja in Saturday's Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and piloted by fellow Hall of Famer John Velazquez, the regally bred Curlin bay was pressured throughout the nine-furlong journey, first by Maracuja and later by Clairiere, after exiting the inside post in a compact field of four.

Malathaat, out of the Grade 1-winning A.P. Indy mare Dreaming of Julia, maintained a precarious advantage at the stretch call but could not repel the rallying Maracuja, who prevailed by a head.

Pletcher said he concurred with the Daily Racing Form running line comment, which read, in part, “hounded.”

“Hounded is an accurate description,” Pletcher said. “We had a difficult time analyzing the race beforehand and how we thought it might unfold. There wasn't a lot of speed on paper and we were in the one post with a target on our backs, so our strategy was to let her run away from the gate and try to establish a position into the first turn, or, if someone was to clear us, hopefully move out into the clear.

“Everyone left there with the same intention and by the time we got to the first quarter we'd gone 23 and 1, which is fine if we could have a little breather along the way,” Pletcher continued. “But as soon as we got on the backside, Irad [Ortiz, Jr. aboard Clairiere] made a move and put pressure on her. She kind of had to fight off the whole field. When you're a heavy favorite in a race like that with a short field, those things can happen. I'm not disappointed with the filly at all. I thought she ran bravely considering everything that was thrown at her off the layoff. If she comes back well, we'll point towards the Alabama.”

The 10-furlong $600,000 Grade 1 Alabama is slated for August 21.

Pletcher said Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph F. Graffeo, Eric Nikolaus Del Toro, and Troy Johnson's multiple graded-stakes winner Con Lima is training well into the 1 3/16-mile $700,000 Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational, the second leg of the Turf Triple series for fillies on August 8.

The Texas-bred daughter of Commissioner, who captured the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Herecomesthebride by disqualification in February at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., and the nine-furlong Grade 3 Wonder Again in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., worked a half-mile in :51.66 Saturday on the Saratoga main track.

“She worked fine. She's a high energy filly that seems to take her races well,” Pletcher said. “She'll have one more breeze and it seems like everything is in order.”

Last out, in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational, Con Lima stretched her speed to 10 furlongs over good going, but was collared in the final stride by highly regarded Santa Barbara.

Pletcher was full of praise for the ultra-consistent dark bay, who boasts a record of six wins and five seconds from 12 starts with purse earnings of $509,865.

“She just continues to step up. She's been super consistent and gives a good effort every time,” Pletcher said.

Pletcher said the tighter turns of the Saratoga turf may prove favorable for the handy Con Lima.

“This will be a little more favorable although she did win the Wonder Again at Belmont,” Pletcher said. “She seemed to really like Gulfstream, which is a tighter course, so maybe that will work in her favor here.”

CHC and WinStar Farm's undefeated Life Is Good, recently transferred to Pletcher's care, worked a half-mile in :48.88 Saturday on the Oklahoma dirt training track.

Pletcher said the Into Mischief Bay, who bested Kentucky Derby-winner Medina Spirit in the Grade 3 Sham and Grade 2 San Felipe at Santa Anita, will target either the seven-furlong $500,000 Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial on August 28 at the Spa, or the 1 1/16-mile $300,000 Grade 3 Smarty Jones on August 24 at Parx.

“He breezed in in 48 and change. He's a very impressive horse to watch train. He did that well in hand throughout,” Pletcher said. “We'll play it by ear, but we have a couple of options with the Allen Jerkens here and the Smarty Jones at Parx would be a possibility if we needed more time. He's a super talented horse and we're fortunate to have him.”

Repole Stable's Midnight Worker, a 2-year-old bay colt by Outwork, earned a 59 Beyer for a hard-fought win by a head in a six-furlong maiden special weight Saturday at Saratoga. A $60,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, Midnight Worker was piloted to victory by Luis Saez.

“It was a good effort,” Pletcher said. “He was under pressure from the one hole, but worked out a trip and fought off a couple challenges. I was proud of his effort and he was very solid on debut. “

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Maracuja May Target Alabama Next After CCA Oaks Win

The flower blanket outside of trainer Rob Atras' barn Sunday morning served as a welcome reminder of what Maracuja accomplished a day prior, when the sophomore filly outdueled 1-5 favorite Malathaat in deep stretch to win the $500,000 Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Spring, N.Y.

Beach Haven Thoroughbreds' Maracuja earned a 96 Beyer Speed Figure for her first stakes win, which came when she was the longest shot on the board in the four-horse field at 14-1. It also marked the first career Grade 1 win for Atras, who has been on his own as a trainer since 2009.

Atras said the races earlier on Saturday's card kept him from thinking too much about the CCA Oaks.

“I was busy the first couple of races; we were looking at a couple of horses to claim, so it kind of kept my mind off it,” Atras said. “I didn't get too much time to get worked up. But it's unbelievable; in Saratoga to win a Grade 1, I had so many messages from friends and well-wishers after the race. It felt like everyone was watching.”

Since running second in her debut in December at Aqueduct, Maracuja has finished on the board in four of her five starts in her 3-year-old campaign, including a maiden-breaking win at third asking in February at the Big A and a second-place effort going 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 3 Gazelle in April at the Ozone Park-based track.

After taking the step up in class in a seventh-place Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks finish, Maracuja handled the competition that included Kentucky Oaks-winner Malathaat in a race that traditionally attracts the top talent in the division.

“She's just developed and every race, it seems like she's moving forward,” Atras said. “Her first couple of races, she was a bit green. After she got her wind, she really just blossomed. She's come a long way in a short time. I was really proud of her and really impressed how she bore down and got up like that in the end. To run against a filly as accomplished as Malathaat, it was incredible, really.”

Maracuja could make another summer-meet appearance at the Spa in the $600,000 Grade 1 Alabama on August 21 in a 1 1/4-mile contest.

“If she continues to come out of the race good then I definitely would like to consider that race,” Atras said. “She ate everything up and cooled out good after the race and she was good this morning. It's always a concern when they put in a big effort like that, but so far, we look good.”

The red-and-white floral arrangement, which saw a few petals hit the Saratoga main track on the way to the winner's circle from jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr.'s jubilant celebration, reinforced to the connections that the CCA Oaks was indeed a milestone for the daughter of Honor Code.

“You come in the barn and you realize it wasn't a dream,” Atras said with a laugh. “It was pretty cool to see because everyone was celebrating and it's a team thing. To celebrate with everyone and to see the grooms and hot walkers and exercise riders so happy, it meant a lot.”

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