Tag: monmouth park

Making Waves: Monmouth Success For Kingman Filly

   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 Startup Mentality, who won the Monmouth curtain-raiser on Haskell Day in Oceanport, New Jersey.

Kingman Filly Succeeds On Haskell Undercard

Klaravich Stables and Chad Brown teamed up to take the first race on GI Haskell S. day at Monmouth Park with Startup Mentality (Ire) (Kingman {GB}) (video).

A 300,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 yearling, the daughter of Fine Time (GB) (Dansili {GB}) was bred by Mountarmstrong Stud. The full-sister to fellow winner Night Battle (Ire) was making her first start, while her dam has fillies by Lope De Vega (Ire) and Night Of Thunder (Ire) born in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Fine Time is a full-sister to three stakes winners anchored by Group 1 winner Passage Of Time (GB), herself the dam of burgeoning young sire Time Test (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) who won four group races and was second in the GI Manhattan S.; and a half-sister to G1 Falmouth S. heroine Timepiece (GB) (Zamindar).

Juddmonte's Kingman is the sire of several celebrated runners in the U.S., with a strike rate of 55% for 30 winners from 54 to race. His stakes winners stand at eight (15%) in that jurisdiction.

 

 

California Flair For Havana Grey Gelding

CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gevertz and Michael Nentwig's Almendares (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) won his first start in the U.S. at Del Mar last weekend (video).

Originally a 16,000gns Tattersalls December foal, the D. R. Tucker-bred was picked up for 14,000gns as a Tattersalls October Book 3 yearling by Meadowview Stables. From five starts over Dundalk's all-weather surface, the relative of G1 July Cup heroine Fleeting Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) eked out two wins for Mrs. S Slattery and trainer Andrew Slattery. The Del Mar race for his new connections was his first in the U.S. Out of the winning Glace (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}), Almendares has a juvenile, winning full-sister named Graceful Thunder (GB) and a yearling half-sister by Ardad (Ire).

A Champion First-Crop Sire in Britain and Ireland, Whitsbury Manor Stud's Havana Grey has sired two winners from four runners (50%) in the U.S. His Lady Hollywood (GB) was second in the Listed Limestone S. at Keeneland. Overall, he has 11 stakes winners worldwide, with Jasour (GB) leading his quintet of group winners.

 

 

Siyouni Filly Puts It All Together At The Spa

Qatar Racing and Leora Judah's Mise En Scene (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) won a Saratoga affair by a neck for trainer Brendan Walsh on Thursday afternoon (video).

Part of The Gadfly Partnership breeding programme, the G3 Prestige S. heroine also won the Listed John Musker Fillies S. for trainer James Ferguson when she raced in England. The relation of G1 Prix Marcel Boussac Criterium des Pouliches heroine Zellie (Fr) (Wootton Bassett {GB}) has a Zoustar (Aus) 2-year-old half-sister.

The Aga Khan stallion Siyouni has sired 13 winners from 36 runners (36%) in the U.S. Four of that number are stakes winners (11%), and a trio have won at Grade III level–Sacred Life (Fr), La Signare (Fr), and Love And Thunder (Ire).

 

 

Eylara Shines At Del Mar

John McCormack's Eylara (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) won her first race in her fifth start in the U.S. at Del Mar for trainer Phil D'Amato on Thursday evening (video).

Bred by His Highness The Aga Khan's Studs, the 5-year-old daughter of the stakes-placed Eytarna (Ire) (Dubai Destination) won one of her six starts in Ireland for Dermot Weld in the green and red silks of her breeder, before being purchased for €350,000 at the Goffs November Sale by McCormack.

A half-sister to three black-type horses including five-time group winner Eziyra (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}), who was also placed at the top level in Ireland, Hong Kong and England, Eylara is also a half-sister to a yearling filly by Teofilo (Ire) and a weanling colt by Lucky Vega (Ire). Her second dam is blue-hen Ebaziya (Ire) (Darshaan {GB}), who produced a quartet of Group 1 winners.

Coolmore's Gleneagles has 10 winners from 17 runners (59%) in the U.S., including the GI Man o' War S. hero Highland Chief (Ire).

 

 

Honourable Mention

Featured in an earlier column, is Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Anisette (GB) (Awtaad {Ire}), who won the GII San Clemente S. on Saturday (video). Now the 10th stakes winner for her sire worldwide, she is his fifth group winner.

 

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Bernhards’ Long-Term Plans for Pin Oak Could be Closer Than They Realize

When Jim and Dana Bernhard purchased Pin Oak Stud last fall, the plan was always to return stallions to stand at the historic property and, while that idea may have been on the back burner before, the heat may be turned up a bit now after the couple's Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) won the GI Haskell S. Saturday at Monmouth Park.

“Jim and Dana Bernhard are on cloud nine,” Pin Oak's Clifford Barry said Monday. “I think they can't believe it. I have spoken to them multiple times and they are some kind of excited.”

While Barry would not commit to the newly minted Grade I winner standing at Pin Oak, he did admit the sophomore was an extremely attractive option to stand in Kentucky.

“He's a very, very important young horse at this point, there's no doubt about it,” Barry said. “He's a son of Candy Ride out of an Uncle Mo mare, he's such an outcross to a lot of mares here in Central Kentucky right now. Obviously, he's a horse with lots of speed, breaks his maiden going six furlongs, second in the GII San Felipe and then comes back and wins the Haskell in his fourth start in what was probably one of the strongest Haskells in several years.”

While the Bernhards, advisor Matt Weinmann and trainer Richard Mandella are still to discuss options for the colt's next race and how best to get to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita in November, Barry said the current plan is to race Geaux Rocket Ride at four.

“I think the plan is to race him in his 4-year-old year, just talking to Jim and Dana this morning,” Barry said. “He's a lightly raced horse at this point and you hope he's got a really, really bright future ahead of him on the racetrack.”

As for his future beyond that, Barry said, “I think it would be premature to say he will stand at Pin Oak. I think it would be unfair on the horse to say that. But definitely Jim and Dana have had dreams of standing stallions here for sure. I think when they bought the farm, that was very much a focus on what they were thinking. Obviously, Pin Oak stood stallions–Maria's Mon, Peaks and Valleys, Sky Classic. We are very well known for standing stallions, so it won't be anything unusual to stand stallions here and it won't be unusual to take in partners at that time. We had some very loyal partners in all our stallions here.”

Barry added, “We're just excited that we even have a horse to be thinking in that way for sure. I don't think anybody was thinking to come up with a horse this quickly. Two years ago, Geaux Rocket Ride was bought as a birthday present and lo and behold, here we are after winning the Haskell. Everybody dreams those things, but you know how dreams in this game don't always turn out.”

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Mandella Rules Out Travers; Mulling Options with Geaux Rocket Ride

Pin Oak Stud's Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) exited his victory in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. in good order, trainer Richard Mandella reported Sunday. The victory earned the lightly raced colt an automatic berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic and Mandella said he has several routes to consider to get to that Nov. 4 race at Santa Anita.

The Sept. 23 GI Pennsylvania Derby at Parx, the Sept. 2 GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar and the Sept. 30 GI Awesome Again S. at Santa Anita are all on the table. While Geaux Rocket Ride would be facing just 3-year-olds at Parx, he would face older horses in both California options.

“I'll think about all of those races and about running against older horses,” Mandella said.

Mandella has ruled out another trip east for the Aug. 26 GI Travers S. at Saratoga.

“I think it's too much to think about, taking him to Saratoga,” Mandella said. “He's young and he's not raced very much and we've pushed him along to get to this point. I don't like the idea of bringing him to Monmouth, bringing him back to California, and then coming back for the Travers. We pushed him to this point and we don't want to keep pushing. The Travers doesn't seem like the right thing to do.”

A debut winner at Santa Anita in January, Geaux Rocket Ride was second in the Mar. 4 GII San Felipe S., but was knocked off the Triple Crown trail when a fever caused him to miss the GI Santa Anita Derby. He returned with a win in the June 4 Affirmed S. and was earning his first graded score in the Haskell.

Asked if having the Breeders' Cup at his home track of Santa Anita would give Geaux Rocket Ride an advantage in November, Mandella said, “It does if you're fast enough. We think he's fast enough and so far he's passed every test. But that's another step up to get to the Classic and it's against older horses so we'll just have to wait and see if he leads us there.”

Geaux Rocket Ride and the Bob Baffert-trained Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo), the third-place Haskell finisher, were scheduled to ship back to Southern California Tuesday.

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‘Geaux’ Rockets to Haskell Victory

This year's GI Haskell was flattered by a GI Kentucky Derby winner in Mage (Good Magic), an undefeated $2.3 million OBS purchase in Arabian Knight (Uncle), in addition to this season's

GI Toyota Blue Grass S. winner Tapit Trice (Tapit), who realized a healthy $1.3 million at Keeneland last September. However, it was Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella who pulled the rabbit out his hat with Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}), who sprang the upset when coming from off the pace to best the Derby winner at odds of 12-1 in the 'Win and You're In' test for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Del Mar in November.

As smart as that looks, the honest truth is that I'm 72 years old and I thought I'm not going to let this get away from me. I'm going to go again,” said Mandella, who was returning to the Haskell for the first time since winning the race with Dixie Union in 2000.

“There is no man better to have this horse in his hands than Mr. Mandella,” said Hall of Famer Mike Smith, who was winning his record fourth Haskell. “He's only going to get better. We saw that today. This was the deepest Haskell field I've seen in a long time. For him to perform that was is a credit to Mr. Mandella and his whole crew. Of course, Geaux Rocket Ride deserves all the credit, too.”

Smith explained, “I think Richard was very confident in this horse. I was, too. When I found out two or three weeks that I was going to get the opportunity to ride this horse, my agent called me from New York and I was in California I flipped out of my bed I was so excited. I just knew there was a lot of upside to this horse and room to get better.”

Geaux Rocket Ride was taken in hand by Hall of Famer Mike Smith from Post 1 as Awesome Strong (Awesome Slew) immediately assumed command, but was soon joined by the fleet-footed Arabian Knight, who was hustled into contention by Johnny Velazquez from their outside draw. Carving out an opening quarter in :22.80, even-money choice Arabian Knight overtook the 60-1 shot down the backside, throwing down a, equally confident-looking half in :47.11. Meanwhile, the Pin Oak Stud runner was camped out wide as a slew of challengers swarmed in on the front-running duo including Mage, who was covered up between rivals yet picking up momentum with every stride.

With Smith giving his charge the signal leaving the backstretch, Geaux Rocket Ride bore down on leading Arabian Knight as Mage continued drew ever closer while widest of all. With the trio entering the home turn in almost unison, Geau Rocket Ride and Mage inched ahead of the wilting favorite, and while it looked like this year's Derby winner would just roll on by, he found another gear and pulled away late to score by a two-length margin over Mage. Arabian Knight held on to round the  trifecta.

“When Arabian Knight went out to the front I was very happy that [Awesome Strong] went out there with him,” explained Smith. “He wasn't getting away with anything easy and on his own, which I wasn't going to let happen if someone else didn't do it. But I was glad someone else did my dirty work and I was able to tip out and just relax.”

Smith added, “I always felt like I had a lot of horse left, but you don't know. When you get to them, they might, too, so I was just happy.”

“This horse is super intelligent. When you have a horse that has a brilliant mind you just work together. It's so much easier. It's like slicing butter with a hot knife. He just moves when you tell him to move. He does everything he's supposed to do.”

As for the runner-up, trainer Gustavo Delgado Sr. said, “This horse is very, very good. I think that five works, six works would have been better, but I had only four [going into the Haskell]. This race was very good for him. This sets him up going forward. It's a long year. There are many races more.”

Regarding the beaten favorite, Jimmy Barnes, assistant to Bob Baffert, explained, “It's quite possible that the long layoff caught up to him. He hasn't run since the end of January. He jumped out of there running and he was just third best today. We're starting the second half of the schedule [for 3-year-olds] and there are a lot of races left to run.”

Saturday's Haskell Day card drew 35,286 with on-track handle of $1,717,876.

Geaux Rocket Ride debuted with an eye-catching 5 3/4-length victory going six furlongs at Santa Anita Jan. 29 before coming home a respectable second to Practical Move (Practical Joke) in the 8 1/2-furlong GII San Felipe S. Mar. 4. Missing the GI Santa Anita Derby because of a fever, thus dashing any Derby aspirations, the $350,000 Fasig-Tipton July graduate once again found the winner's circle following Santa Anita's Affirmed S. June 4.

Pedigree Note:

Geaux Rocket Ride earns Candy Ride his 18th Group 1/Grade I victory. A full-sister to SP Mighty Mo, Beyond Grace is out of Flowers Athefinish, a half to Grade III winner Lotus Pool and Grade I placed Golden Larch. The 8-year-old mare produced a filly by Rowayton earlier this season and was bred back to Instilled Regard.

 

Saturday, Monmouth Park
TVG.COM HASKELL S.-GI, $1,017,500, Monmouth, 7-22, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:49.52, ft.
1–GEAUX ROCKET RIDE, 119, c, 3, by Candy Ride (Arg)
                1st Dam: Beyond Grace, by Uncle Mo
                2nd Dam: Flowers Athefinish, by Grand Reward
                3rd Dam: Golden Petal, by Mr. Prospector
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($350,000 Ylg '21 FTKJUL). O-Pin Oak Stud LLC; B-OXO Equine LLC (KY); T-Richard E. Mandella; J-Mike E. Smith. $600,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $780,200. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mage, 122, c, 3, Good Magic–Puca, by Big Brown. ($235,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $290,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). O-OGMA Investments, LLC, Ramiro Restrepo, Sterling Racing LLC and CMNWLTH; B-Grandview Equine (KY); T-Gustavo Delgado. $200,000.
3–Arabian Knight, 119, c, 3, Uncle Mo–Borealis Night, by Astrology. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($250,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $2,300,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Corser Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $100,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 2, 2. Odds: 12.70, 4.30, 1.10.
Also Ran: Extra Anejo, Tapit Trice, Howgreatisnate, Salute the Stars, Awesome Strong.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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