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From Turf To Dirt: Mutasaabeq Shows Versatility With Mucho Macho Man Victory

Shadwell Stable's Mutasaabeq made a successful transition from turf back to dirt in Saturday's $100,000 Mucho Macho Macho Man at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., establishing himself as a candidate for the 2021 Triple Crown.

The Mucho Macho Man, a mile stakes for 3-year-olds that headlined an 11-race program with five stakes, was the first stop on the Road to the Florida Derby (G1).

Mutasaabeq, who debuted with a victory over Saratoga's main track in August, was making his first start since finishing off-the-board in the Nov. 7 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Keeneland.

“We've been targeting this. We're glad he responded,” trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Mutasaabeq, the even-money favorite in a field of 10, broke well from the gate to obtain a close stalking position behind pacesetter Awesome Gerry along the backstretch. The son of Into Mischief continued to chase the pacesetter leaving the turn into the homestretch after fractions of 23.20 and 46.15 seconds for the first half-mile. The homebred colt briefly seemed to stall on the turn but would respond to strong handling from jockey Luis Saez and draw away to a 1 ½-length victory.

“He tends to break a bit slow, so today we tried to warm him up good. When he broke, he broke sharp and we were right there,” Saez said. “At the three-eighths, I thought we were done, but I put him on the bridle again and he came back. He ran big, I never give up, I always ride till the end. When I pushed him he gave me that kick. It was a good race.”

Mutasaabeq ran a mile in 1:35.96 to win his first stakes on dirt.

“I thought he ran great. We wanted to make sure he got away from the gate cleanly – that hasn't always been his best first step. I thought he broke pretty well today and put himself in a good spot,” Pletcher said. “Luis had to get after him a little bit on the turn and kept responding and finding more. I thought it was a big effort.”

Papetu, who won his first two starts at Gulfstream before finishing out of the money in the Saratoga Special (G2) and Hopeful (G1) at Saratoga, finished second, 1 ¼ lengths ahead of Awesome Gerry,

After winning his debut, Mutasaabeq finished a distant third in the Hopeful. Pletcher moved him to the turf for his next start, and he responded with a late-surging victory in the Bourbon (G2) at Keeneland. However, he was unable to duplicate that effort after a slow start in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

“We'll look to try another one on dirt. I'll talk to the team at Shadwell and come up with a plan,” Pletcher said. “I think today he showed his versatility. He's now a stakes winner on both surfaces. It's exciting to have one like that.”

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Recently Claimed Hembree Takes Joe Hernandez Stakes With Last-To-First Move Under Rosario

Claimed for $62,500 out of a one turn mile win at Churchill Downs Nov. 19, 7-year-old Hembree, in his 40th career start, rallied from last to take Friday's Grade 2, $200,000 Joe Hernandez Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., covering 6 ½ furlongs on turf in 1:13.80. In his first start for trainer Peter Miller and owner Tom Kagele, Hembree, who had routed on turf in 14 consecutive starts prior to his one turn dirt mile Nov. 19, collected his second career graded stakes win.

Last, about 6 ½ lengths off the lead heading to the three-furlong pole, Rosario hugged the rail and slipped through a narrow opening three sixteenths of a mile out and unleashed a powerful stretch run while repelling a stout late challenge from runner-up True Valour.

“Brilliant, it really was just a fantastic ride by Joel, that's why he's one of the world's best,” said Miller. “He's a very fast horse, he runs fast figures and fast Beyers. The question to me was, whether the six and a half was too short for him, but he answered that question today.”

Off at 5-1 in a field of seven older horses, Hembree paid $12.40, $6.20 and $3.60.

A Grade 2 stakes winner going six furlongs on turf at Woodbine at age 4, Hembree picked up $120,000 for the win, increasing his earnings to $927,371 while improving his overall mark to 40-8-10-8.

“Pete told me to let him be early and try and make one run with him,” said Rosario, who had ridden Hembree on four other occasions in New York, Florida and Kentucky, with his most recent partnership coming seven starts back on March 28 at Gulfstream Park. “He broke well and I thought we were in a good spot, not too far off the lead. He made a nice move around the turn and when that other horse came to him, he tried very hard.”

Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Irish-bred True Valour ran too good to lose as he rallied four-wide through the stretch to finish 3 ¼ lengths in front of Blitzkrieg. Off at 7-1, True Valour paid $7.40 and $5.00.

Blitzkrieg, who had been routing on turf in five out of his last six starts, made the lead briefly a furlong out and checked in third, a half length clear of Texas Wedge. Off at 4-1 with Victor Espinoza, he paid $4.00 to show.

Fractions on the race were 21.56, 44.13 and 1:07.95.

The Joe Hernandez is named in honor of the original Voice of Santa Anita, who called 15,587 consecutive races from the track's opening on Dec. 25, 1934, until he collapsed while calling what would be his final race on Jan. 27, 1972.

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. All of Santa Anita's races can be watched free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can watch and wager at 1^st.com/Bet.

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‘I Think This Is A Derby Horse’: Trainer Wyner Celebrates First Stakes Win With Capo Kane In Jerome

Capo Kane made his stakes debut – and first start in New York – a successful effort, leading gate-to-wire for a 6 1/4-length victory in Friday's 151st running of the $150,000 Jerome for newly minted 3-year-olds at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Owned by Bing Cherry Racing and Leonard Liberto, Capo Kane made his debut on October 28 at Parx, running second in a seven-furlong sprint. He ended his juvenile campaign with a maiden-breaking victory on November 25 on the same track, being stretched out to a mile and 70 yards.

Returning to action on an overcast New Year's Day, the California-bred Capo Kane broke sharp from the inside post under jockey Dylan Davis and led the compact five-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 23.53 seconds and the half in 47.83 on the muddy main track with 7-5 favorite Swill in close pursuit.

Jockey Manny Franco urged up Eagle Orb out of the turn, making a bid from the outside. But Davis responded to the pressure by keeping Capo Kane alert, and the Street Sense colt responded with a strong stretch drive surge that saw him move out to the center of the track while drawing away to win the first stakes of the year on the NYRA circuit. He completed the one-turn mile in a final time of 1:38.02.

Capo Kane, off at 6-1, returned $15.80 on a $2 win wager and earned 10 qualifying points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby on May 1 at Churchill Downs. The top-four finishers were awarded 10-4-2-1 points.

Updated Kentucky Derby points leaderboard

“He broke sharp for me and I was able to take the lead very comfortably,” Davis said. He responded great all the way to the wire and I was very happy with the way he did it. He galloped out well. It was a very comfortable win and he handled the track real well.”

Conditioner Harold Wyner, a former steeplechase jockey who trained his first winner in 2004, earned his first career stakes win in his 1,679th career starter. Capo Kane, who was running without Lasix for the first time, is now tied for fifth on the early points leaderboard for the “Run for the Roses.”

“I'd like to thank the owners for giving me the opportunity to train this horse and having faith in me,” Wyner said.“The goal was to do what Dylan wanted. I said to Dylan if he breaks good to just leave him alone, take a long hold and let him get in his stride and take the race as you find it. He found himself on the lead and Dylan rode a fantastic race.

“Last time he drifted out a little bit at the head of the lane at Parx, but that was because he switched his lead early. He's still a little green,” he added.

Wyner said stretching back out to two turns could be the next step, with the Grade 3, $250,000 Withers [10-4-2-1 points] going 1 1/8 miles on February 6 at the Big A remaining a possible target, as well as the Risen Star at Fair Grounds on February 13.

“It should be no problem. In the morning, the further he gallops the stronger he gets. He just loves to run,” Wyner said. “He's a racehorse. I'd like to see how he comes back, but I may point him towards the Withers or the maybe the Risen Star.”

Wyner said he's excited to train another horse who has potential on the Kentucky Derby trail, building on a recent experience. He picked out Capo Kane, a $26,000 purchase, at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. The Manchester, England, born conditioner was also the initial conditioner of Ny Traffic, who finished eighth in last year's Kentucky Derby for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr.

“When I first got the horse I breezed him and he breezed real well,” Wyner said about Capo Kane. “I used to have Ny Traffic as a 2-year-old and I won with him and brought him here [fifth in 2019 Notebook at the Big A] and we decided to send him to Florida to Mr. Saffie and thank God we did because COVID hit. I told Mr. Fanelli [co-owner of NY Traffic] then that he was a Derby horse and I think this is a Derby horse, too. I bought Ny Traffic at the sale, and I also bought this one.”

E.V. Racing Stable's Eagle Orb, a New York-bred son of Orb, finished 2 ¾ lengths ahead of Hold the Salsa for second. The Rudy Rodriguez trainee has finished first or second in five of his six career starts.

“I had a good trip,” Franco said. “I was right there, but I have to give credit to the winner. He's a nice horse.”

Swill picked up a lone qualifying point for fourth while Original completed the order of finish.

Live racing resumes Saturday at Aqueduct with a nine-race card highlighted by the $100,000 Gravesend for 4-year-olds and up going 6 1/2 furlongs in Race 8. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

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Weekend Lineup: 2021 Preps For Kentucky Derby, Oaks Get Under Way

One year ago, an Into Mischief colt with just a maiden victory to his credit began his march toward glory in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and, eventually, the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic and a likely Horse of the Year title. The colt, Authentic, scored by 7 3/4 lengths in the G3 Sham Stakes as the 6-5 favorite for trainer Bob Baffert.

This year, another son of the Spendthrift Farm stallion trained by Baffert will make his sophomore debut in Saturday's Sham as an even heavier favorite. Life Is Good, who scored in his debut on Nov. 22 at Del Mar by 9 1/2 lengths, was made the 2-5 favorite as he faces four others (including a stablemate) in the one-mile Sham, a race that will be worth 10-4-2-1 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby to the top four finishers.

Santa Anita will also be offering a qualifying points race for the Kentucky Oaks in Sunday's G2 Santa Ynez Stakes for newly turned 3-year-old fillies. Baffert holds the aces there, with four of the seven runners entered from his stable.

Here's a brief look at the weekend's graded stakes (all times Eastern):

Friday, Jan. 1

6:32 p.m. – $200,000 Joe Hernandez Stakes at Santa Anita

The new 6 1/2-furlong turf chute gets used in this G2 sprint for older runners and this race looks wide open with trainer Peter Miller and Doug O'Neill each having a formidable duo. Miller starts defending Hernandez winner Texas Wedge (when the race was at 5 1/2 furllongs) and recent Churchill Downs $62,500 claim Hembree, a turf veteran with seven lifetime wins from 39 starts. O'Neill has Blitzkrieg, winner of the G3 American at a mile, and the always dangerous Wildman Jack. Don't overlook John Sadler-trained Chaos Theory, who usually comes flying late.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA010121USA7-EQB.html

Saturday, Jan. 2

6:35 p.m. – $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes at Santa Anita

Count Again showed a strong stretch kick winning the G2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar Nov. 29 in his Southern California debut for Phil D'Amato after a solid season north of the border for trainer Gail Cox at Woodbine, where he won the G2 Singspiel. Longshot players might like Cleopatra's Strike, a close second in this race in both 2019 and 2020 when trained by D'Amato. The 8-year-old Smart Strike gelding was claimed for $62,500 last out by trainer Bob Hess Jr., who gives the mount to the comebacking Hall of Fame rider Kent Desormeaux.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA010221USA7-EQB.html

7:05 p.m. – $100,000 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita

The Into Mischief colt Life Is Good earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure in his debut at Del Mar going 6 1/2 furlongs, putting him head and shoulders in that category above his four rivals in here. But this race goes around two turns, and until a horse tries stretching out, you never know whether they can get the added distance.John Shirreffs-trained Parnelli does have two-turn experience and appears to have the bet upset chance.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA010221USA8-EQB.html

Sunday, Jan. 3

7:00 p.m. – $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita

One of four Baffert entries, Kalypso was overtaken in deep stretch by stablemate Varda last out in the G1 Starlet at Los Alamitos after inheriting the lead when a third Baffert runner, heavy favorite Princess Noor, was suddenly pulled up. Kalypso set the pace that day and drops back to seven furlongs here, a distance the Brody's Cause filly might prefer. Kentucky Oaks points (10-4-2-1) to the top four finishers.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA010321USA8-EQB.html

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