Santa Anita concluded its 19-day Autumn Meet Sunday with Juan Hernandez on top of the jockey standings by both wins (24) and stakes victories (7). Trainer Mark Glatt edged out Phil D'Amato 12-11 to win his first Santa Anita training title, while Hall of Famer Richard Mandella led trainers by stakes wins with five. Leading owner went to Lee and Susan Searing's C R K Stable, who finished with four trips to the winner's circle.
Known at The Great Race Place, Santa Anita hosted the Breeders' Cup Nov. 3-4. Racing will return to the Arcadia oval Tuesday, Dec. 26 for the Classic Meet opener.
Dr. Schivel (Violence-Lil Nugget, by Mining for Money), a Grade I winner at both two and three, will retire after making his final start in this weekend's GI Breeders' Cup Sprint and take up stud duty at Taylor Made Stallions in 2024, the farm confirmed Tuesday. A fee will be announced at a later date.
First or second in nine of 14 lifetime starts, the earner of $1,327,100 was campaigned by Red Baron's Barn, Rancho Temescal, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, and William A. Branch, and trained by Mark Glatt.
“We are very excited for the opportunity to stand Dr. Schivel in partnership with Tim Cohen, Dean Reeves, and Bill Branch,” said Taylor Made's Travis White. “It's very special to have a horse that was talented and precocious enough to win a Grade I at two and then come back to win another Grade I as a 3-year-old, beating older horses. Dr. Schivel, who has defeated 13 Grade I winners in his career, has been a sound, extremely consistent horse and his Breeders' Cup Sprint as a 3-year-old was a remarkable performance.”
Winner of the GI Del Mar Futurity at two, he returned at three to add a win in the GI Bing Crosby S. and GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship before rounding out the season with a close-up second in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. This year, he was third in the Bing Crosby and won the Santa Anita Sprint Championship in his latest start Sept. 30.
White added, “He has remained in Grade I form throughout his racing career, and Mark Glatt said Dr. Schivel has been all class from day one. He is a big, good-looking son of Violence and breeders will really like what they see.”
Bred in Kentucky by William A. Branch and Arnold R. Hill, the 5-year-old is out of Lil Nugget, a half-sister to multiple Grade I winner and millionaire Ultra Blend. Dr. Schivel's first two dams are both Grade I producers.
Dr. Schivel is the second-highest earner for his sire Violence, a Top 10 General Sire in 2023. In addition to Dr. Schivel, Violence is also represented by the reigning Champion 2-Year-Old Male Forte, a four-time Grade I winner. Violence is also the sire of GISW Volatile, who had yearlings sell for $1,150,000 and $700,000 at the Keeneland September Sale. With a current yearling average of $134,973, Volatile has the third-highest yearling of all first-crop sires.
Pin Oak Stud LLC's Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}), winner of the GI TVG.com Haskell S. ahead of a runner-up effort in the GI TVG Pacific Classic, breezed three-quarters of a mile in 1:13.80 over the Santa Anita main track Friday morning as he resumed his serious preparations for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic Nov. 4.
Taking to the track at around 7:45 a.m. PT, the $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate was put through his paces by regular rider and four-time Classic winner Mike Smith, who pronounced himself pleased with the move.
“It was a good work, especially for him,” Smith said of Geaux Rocket Ride. “He's never been the flashiest horse in the morning.”
Geaux Rocket Ride breezed five furlongs in 1:00.20 (3/11) Oct. 3 and also went six panels on Oct. 9, but a time was not recorded owing to heavy morning fog. Trainer Richard Mandella said that the colt spiked a bit of a temperature out of that work, but recovered quickly.
“We had to put him on an antibiotic,” said the conditioner, who saddled Pleasant Perfect (Pleasant Colony) to victory in the 2003 Classic, one of an historic four wins on the program. “Luckily, he got right through it. It didn't amount to much. We're happy. Next week he'll have a better work.”
Work of the Day from @santaanitapark—Geaux Rocket Ride (Outside), 1:13.80, and Salesman, 1:14.60, worked 6 Furlongs on October 20th, 2023, for trainer Richard Mandella. pic.twitter.com/sbtcLxfbjY
Three stakes winners from two weekends ago also returned to the tab Friday morning. Chatalas (Gun Runner), victorious in the GII Chandelier S. for trainer Mark Glatt, drilled a half-mile in :47.40 (3/48) and is expected to make her next appearance in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Nov. 3. Amerman Racing's Endlessly (Oscar Performance), who remained unbeaten in three starts in the GIII Zuma Beach S., geared up for the GI Juvenile Turf with a four-furlong move that was timed in :48.20 (19/48). Slider (Jimmy Creed), who earned a berth in the field for the GI Juvenile Turf Sprint courtesy of his score in the Speakeasy S., went a similar distance in :47.40.
In this series, the TDN takes a look at notable successes of European-based sires in North America. This week's column is highlighted by the victory of Nations Pride in the Canadian International at Woodbine and two other graded wins for Godolphin colourbearers.
Nations Pride Adds Another Graded Win To His Resume
Autumn in North America is a rich seasonal hunting ground for Godolphin's European raiders, particularly those trained by Charlie Appleby, and Nations Pride (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) scooped Woodbine's GI Canadian International S. recently (video). The royal blue homebred had landed the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational S. and GIII Jockey Club Derby Invitational S. last year.
Also a top-level winner in Germany, the 4-year-old colt is a half-brother to Crystal Of Time (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), a weanling colt by Ghaiyyath (Ire), and he has a yearling full-sister. Their dam, the Oasis Dream (GB) mare Important Time (Ire), won at the listed level in Germany and is a daughter of Satwa Queen (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}), who won the G1 Prix de l'Opera. Australian standout Militarize (NZ) (Dundeel {NZ}) and G1 Phoenix S. hero Lucky Vega (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) are also in the family.
The best North American runner by Darley veteran Teofilo, Nations Pride is one of four stakes winners in that jurisdiction for the 19-year-old. Seventeen of his 27 runners have won in America (63%), including dual Grade II winner Amira's Prince (Ire).
Bold Act Another Graded Winner In The Royal Blue
Just a few days after Nations Pride won in Canada, Godolphin and Charlie Appleby celebrated another homebred graded winner, this time with New Approach (Ire) gelding Bold Act (Ire) in the GIII Sycamore S. at Keeneland (video).
Successful in the Listed Prix Nureyev in August, the multiple group-placed 3-year-old is out of the listed winner Dancing Sands (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), who placed three times at the group level. His year-younger half-sister Dazzling Star (GB) (Blue Point {Ire}) was third in the GI Natalma S., while Dancing Sands's latest pair are colts by Cracksman (GB) and Frankel (GB), respectively. G1 Futurity S. hero and sire Bakharoff (The Minstrel) is under the third dam.
The 13th winner from 23 runners (56%) in the U.S. for his Darley sire, Bold Act is New Approach's fourth black-type winner there. Both Ceisteach (Ire) and Messi (Ger) are Grade III scorers.
Lucky Girl Returns A Winner At Santa Anita
Already a dual American stakes winner, Lucky Girl (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) made it a hat trick for Panic Stable, LLC and trainer Phil D'Amato in the Swingtime S. at Santa Anita a few days ago (video).
Bred by Paul Hyland, the 4-year-old filly was originally a £19,000 yearling buy out of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale by Meadowview Stables. She did not meet her reserve when a £24,000 buy-back at the Goffs UK Breeze-Up Sale in 2021, and duly made one start at Gowran Park for Helen Slattery and trainer Andrew Slattery, where she finished third. The four-time winning dam Abbey Angel (Ire) (Arcano {Ire})'s latest produce is a yearling colt by Kodi Bear (Ire) whose latest trip through the ring resulted in a 110,000gns buy-back during the Tattersall October Yearling Sale.
Former reverse shuttle stallion Exceed And Excel has sired an even 10 black-type winners from his 41 U.S. runners (24%). Of those 41, 22 have earned at least one victory (54%). The Darley stallion's American best are GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Outstrip (GB) and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint winner Mischief Magic (Ire).
Peter Brant and Chad Brown's Notinamillionyears (Ire) (No Nay Never) won at second asking during the Belmont at the Big A meeting earlier this week (video).
Bred by Lynch-Bages & Rhinestone Bloodstock, the daughter of Dancing Shoes (Ire) (Danehill) was acquired by BSW/Crow for $450,000 out of the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The winner is a half-sister to GII La Canada S. winner Striking Dancer (Smart Strike) and G2 Gran Premio del Jockey Club hero Raymond Tusk (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}). Emmaline (Affirmed), the winner's second dam, is a half-sister to American champion Bates Motel (Sir Ivor).
Coolmore stallion No Nay Never has sired 43 winners from 78 runners (55%) in the U.S. Breeders' Cup winner Meditate (Ire) is one of three graded winners, and he has nine stakes winners overall in the Land of the Free.
Red Baron's Barn, LLC and Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred Partners' Star Of The Night (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) won at Santa Anita this month (video). The Sunderland Holding-bred 3-year-old was making her second start for trainer Mark Glatt after a runner-up finish at Del Mar.
Out of the winning Simple Elegance (Street Cry {Ire}), Star Of The Night has juvenile half-brother by Gleneagles (Ire) and a yearling half-brother by the late Le Havre (Ire) who was picked up by Ross Doyle and Ciaran Murphy for €37,000 out of the recent Goffs Orby Book 2 Sale. Lackendarra Stables and Eddie Linehan bought the dark bay for €40,000 out of the 2021 Goffs Orby Sale, and sent her back through the ring at the 2022 Tattersalls Craven Breeze-Up Sale where she made 140,000gns on the bid of her current owners. Her dam is one of six winners out of the Pulpit mare Rutherienne, who landed the GI Del Mar Oaks.
The Aga Khan's Studs' Sea The Stars has 17 winners from 37 runners (46%) in the U.S. His sextet of stakes winners are led by GII Fort Marcy S. winner and GI Manhattan S. third Ottoman Fleet (GB).
Repeat Winners
Repeat Making Waves alumni have been in outstanding form in recent weeks, and the GI Beverly D. S. heroine Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) doubled her Grade I tally with a stalking score in the E. P. Taylor S. at Woodbine on Oct. 8 (video). Raced by Tracy Farmer, the Mark Casse pupil is pointing toward the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita in November.
Eternal Hope (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) was the latest Making Waves alum to display her abundant talent in the GII Sands Point S. as the Belmont at the Big A meeting continued on Saturday (video). The Godolphin homebred was winning her second graded race in a row for Charlie Appleby, after taking the GIII Jockey Club Oaks Invitational S. last month.
Klaravich Stables' McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}), best known as the winner of the GI Belmont Oaks Invitational S. in 2022, also claimed her second graded victory of the year in the GIII Waya S. earlier in October (video). The Chad Brown trainee won the GII Glens Falls S. at the Saratoga meeting in August.
She's a star! It's Fev Rover who takes out the G1 E. P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine for Javier Castellano and Mark Casse! pic.twitter.com/yT9ZM8P3CG
