Tag: Mucho Unusual
Yakteen Stable’s Cal-Bred ‘Queen,’ Mucho Unusual, Takes Robert J. Frankel Stakes
Well beaten in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Nov. 7, George Krikorian's homebred Mucho Unusual seemed to relish a return home to Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as she rallied under Eastern-based John Velazquez to take Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 Robert J. Frankel Stakes by three-quarters of a length. Trained by Tim Yakteen, the California-bred daughter of Mucho Macho Man got a mile and one eighth on turf in 1:46.94.
Comfortably in-hand while second, about two lengths off of pacesetting She's Our Charm around the first turn, Mucho Unusual inched up outside a three-horse spread that included favored Miss Teheran and She's Our Charm heading to the three furlong pole and held sway late under a hand ride from Velazquez, who collected his third win on the day.
“She broke good and it looked like the one speed filly (She's Our Charm) would go and she did,” said Velazquez. “Down the backside, Joel (Rosario, aboard favored Miss Teheran) moved a little early and I also wanted to make sure I put a little pressure on the two (She's Our Charm) because she had been running easily. Turning for home, I asked her and she finished up great.”
A front-running winner of the G1 Rodeo Drive Stakes here two starts back on Sept. 26, Mucho Unusual was the narrow second choice at 5-2 in a field of eight fillies and mares and paid $7.80, $4.40 and $3.20.
“We had an outside draw and that was a little bit of a concern,” said Yakteen. “There was one lone speed in the race. She is such a dream to train, so easy, so straightforward, she makes my job easy. She's my queen. We don't have a big stable but she's our queen.”
Out of Krikorian's Unusual Heat mare Not Unusual, Mucho Unusual, who turns 5 on Friday, is now a three-time graded stakes winner. With an overall mark of 18-6-3-4, she picked up $60,000 for the win, increasing her earnings to $762,715.
Owned in-part by former Santa Anita general manager, Ron Charles, English-bred Never Be Enough flew late for second money, prevailing by a nose over She's Our Charm. Ridden by Tiago Pereira, Never Be Enough was off at 32-1 and paid $18.40 and $10.40.
In a big effort, Ron McAnally's She's Our Charm fought bravely late and finished three quarters of a length better than Miss Teheran. Off at 4-1 with Juan Hernandez, She's Our Charm paid $4.00 to show.
Trained by Chad Brown, Irish-bred Miss Teheran shipped in from South Florida seeking her first stakes victory but her chances were seriously comprised when she hesitated leaving the gate and was subsequently shuffled back while in tight quarters. Thereafter, she appeared a bit keen with Rosario and when the rail opened up a half mile out, he asked her to engage the front runners in what proved a failed strategy as the actual 5-2 favorite.
Fractions on the race were 23.72, 47.90, 1:11.70 and 1:35.02.
Named in honor of the Hall of Fame trainer who passed away at age 68 in 2009, Bobby Frankel was a five-time leading Winter/Spring Meet trainer at Santa Anita and he remains the track's all-time leader by races won with 917 and is third on the all-time stakes-won list with 146. Frankel won the race's precursor, the San Gorgonio Stakes, a record seven times.
Live racing resumes at Santa Anita on Thursday with first post time for a nine-race card at 12:30 p.m.
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Rideforthecause Debuts For McCarthy In Sunday’s Robert J. Frankel Stakes
Trainer Michael McCarthy has two new shooters and thus holds what appears to be a solid two-card hand in Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 Robert J. Frankel as Rideforthecause and Altea bring solid credentials to a field of 10 fillies and mares going a mile and one eighth over the Santa Anita turf.
Most recently fourth, beaten 2 ¾ lengths as the 5-2 favorite in the G1 E.P. Taylor Stakes going a mile and one quarter on turf at Woodbine, Rideforthecause, a 4-year-old Ontario-Canadian-bred daughter of Candy Ride, took the Grade 2 Canadian Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf Sept. 12 and brings a record of 11-4-0-1, good for earnings of $291,226 to the Frankel. A Sam-Son Farm homebred, she was formerly trained by Gail Cox and will make her first start for McCarthy while ridden by Umberto Rispoli.
Based in New York with Chad Brown through the month of October, Altea, a 5-year-old French-bred mare, is winless in seven starts this year, and has but two wins from 23 starts. However, she has amassed earnings of $290,664 from an overall mark of 23-2-8-4. In what will be her first start for McCarthy, she'll be ridden by Abel Cedillo.
Eastern-based juggernaut Chad Brown also figures prominently as he'll send out Irish-bred Miss Teheran, a lightly raced 4-year-old filly who will be ridden by Joel Rosario. Most recently fifth, beaten 1 ¼ lengths in an ungraded turf stakes going a mile and one sixteenth at Aqueduct Nov. 27, Miss Teheran, who was two for four as a juvenile in France, was unraced at three and will be making her third start this year in the Frankel.
Best suited from off the pace, Miss Teheran should handle the distance, as she shows a win going 1 3/16 miles on turf in her final French start on Dec. 5, 2018. With Rosario teaming with Brown, she should attract plenty of pari-mutuel attention.
George Krikorian's California-bred Mucho Unusual, winner of the G1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at a mile and one quarter on turf two starts back on Sept. 26, figures prominently as she tries to rebound from a 12th place finish in the G1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf on Nov. 7.
Phil D'Amato's consistent Zee Drop, second two starts back in the G2 Goldikova Stakes here on Nov. 28, and Hall of Famer Ron McAnally's homebred She's Our Charm, beaten four lengths in the G1 Matriarch going one mile on turf at Del Mar Nov. 29, also rate solid chances on Sunday.
Named in honor of the late Hall of Fame trainer who passed away at age 68 in 2009, Bobby Frankel was a five-time leading Winter/Spring trainer at Santa Anita and he remains the track's all-time leader by races won with 917 and is third on the all-time stakes won list with 146. Frankel won the race's precursor, the San Gorgonio Stakes, a record seven times.
THE GRADE III ROBERT J. FRANKEL STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 9 of 10 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT
- Rideforthecause—Umberto Rispoli—125
- She's Our Charm—Juan Hernandez—121
- Never Be Enough—Tiago Pereira—123
- Miss Teheran—Joel Rosario—121
- Altea—Abel Cedillo—121
- Meal Ticket—Tyler Baze—121
- Colonial Creed—Mario Gutierrez—121
- Posh Holly—Alexis Centeno—121
- Zee Drop—Flavien Prat—121
- Mucho Unusual—John Velazquez—125
Special early first post time for a 10-race card on Sunday is at 11:30 a.m. All of Santa Anita's races are available free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can watch and wager at 1st.com/Bet. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.
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Santa Anita Media Poll: Improbable Named Horse Of The Meet
Bob Baffert-trained Improbable, winner of the Grade 1 Awesome Again Stakes on Sept. 26, heads Santa Anita's 2020 Autumn Meet Media Poll, which recognizes equine and human accomplishments in a variety of categories throughout the 16-day meeting which began on Sept. 25 and concluded Sunday, Oct. 25.
2020 Santa Anita Autumn Media Poll
Horse of Meet: Improbable
Sprinter: C. Z. Rocket
Older Horse: Improbable
Older Filly/Mare: Mucho Unusual
Claimer: Psycho Dar
Grass Horse: United
Grass Filly/Mare: Mucho Unusual
3-Year-Old: Smooth Like Strait
3-Year-Old Filly: Harvest Moon
Trainer: Peter Miller/Bob Baffert (each had 11 wins)
Jockey: Flavien Prat (27 wins)
Apprentice: Alexis Centeno (7 wins)
Race: Santa Anita Sprint Championship
Owner: Reddam Racing, LLC
Achievement: Craig Lewis, 1,000 Career Wins
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