Ginger Brew Placegetters Rematch in Sweetest Chant

Ginger Brew S. placegetters Ocean Safari (Temple City) and Opalina (Optimizer) face off yet again in the GIII Sweetest Chant S. Saturday at Gulfstream Park.

Owned by Soldi Stable and Ohana Racing, Ocean Safari looked home free in the stretch after coming in four wide, but was out-kicked late by Alittleloveandluck (Arrogate) to miss by a half- length in the Ginger Brew Jan. 1. She graduated at second asking in a local turf test in September and was third next out in an optional claimer on the synthetic in October.

Romping by 12 lengths to earn her diploma at third asking in a state-bred event over a yielding course here in September, Opalina rallied from well back to be fifth in Keeneland's GII Jessamine S. Oct. 13 and completed the trifecta in the Ginger Brew.

“She was kind of too anxious, a little too nervous in the receiving barn,” trainer Roderick Rodriguez said of the filly's last effort. “That was the first time she did that and I think that's what did her in. She was a little flat at the end, but she ran OK. The main thing is, she came out of it good and is doing very good. I think she'll be fitter this time.”

Ambitieuse (Medaglia d'Oro) closed well to be third first-out Nov. 19 on a firm Aqueduct turf course. Graduating on Gulfstream Park's all-weather track Dec. 29 at 8 1/2 furlongs, the Graham Motion trainee will make her 2022 bow in this first stakes try.

“She's a horse that we've always liked. We wanted to get her going earlier than we did, but she broke her jaw and it took time to get over that. It was a freak thing, and she's perfect now,” Motion said. “I thought her first race was good and then she ran another good race on the Tapeta to break her maiden. She's had a bit of time since then and we're excited to get her going.”

Breaking from the rail, Nostalgic (Medaglia d'Oro) stormed home to a 7 3/4-length graduation in her career bow on the dirt at Belmont Oct. 22 and was last seen finishing fourth in the GII Demoiselle S. Dec. 4 on the main track at Aqueduct. Trained by Bill Mott, who won last year's Sweetest Chant, the Godolphin homebred will be making her first start on turf in this contest.

The post Ginger Brew Placegetters Rematch in Sweetest Chant appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Nest Much The Best In Demoiselle Stakes At Aqueduct

Nest overcame a wide trip on both turns to bid for the lead in the stretch of the Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. The 2-year-old daughter of Curlin took over inside the last sixteenth to win the Grade 2 stakes by a neck over Venti Valentine.

Sitting midpack early, Nest bided her time on the outside of horses as Magic Circle held a one-length lead, with Full Court Felicia and Venti Valentine in second and third down the backstretch at the Ozone Park, N.Y., racetrack. Through a first quarter in :25.05 and a half mile in :50.72, Magic Circle held on to that one-length lead heading into the far turn, as Irad Ortiz Jr. on Nest went four-wide into the stretch.

In the Aqueduct straight, Magic Circle, Venti Valentine, and Nest were three across, as Magic Circle tried to hold on under pressure from her challengers. Ortiz Jr. set Nest down for a drive, taking the lead inside the last sixteenth of a mile. At the wire, Nest was a neck in front of Venti Valentine, with Magic Circle holding on for third.

The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:55.07. Find this race's chart here.

Nest paid$5.50, $3.10, and $2.20. Venti Valentine paid $5.40 and $3.70. Magic Circle paid $3.30.

“There have been some tight finishes and a little drama to go along with it, but I'm thankful to be on the right side of it all. She [Nest] was never able to take over and save much ground, but she got the job done. I'm obviously very happy to be on the winning end,” trainer Todd Pletcher said after the race. “We'll take her to Palm Beach Downs and map out a game plan with Mike [Repole] and the rest of the owners, but she'll get a freshening after this win.”

“She ran a good race today, we were looking forward to the distance and she got the job done today,” Irad Ortiz Jr. told the NYRA Press Office after the Demoiselle. “I knew the seven horse [Magic Circle] was inside and came out. I was just surprised that they claimed foul on me, honestly. I grabbed a hold of my filly, corrected her, went to the left hand and went straight. I didn't do anything to the other horse so I don't know why they claimed foul, but it is what it is.”

Bred in Kentucky by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables, Nest is out of the A.P. Indy mare Marion Ravenwood. She is trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Repole Stables, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, and Michael House. Consigned by Ashview Farm, Nest was purchased by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Repole Stables for $350,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. With her win in the G2 Demoiselle, the filly has two wins in three starts, for career earnings of $205,000. The victory earns the 2-year-old filly 10 points toward the 2022 Kentucky Oaks, with Venti Valentine receiving four points, Magic Circle two points, and Nostalgic one point.

The post Nest Much The Best In Demoiselle Stakes At Aqueduct appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Nest Seeks Black-Type Badge in Demoiselle

Todd Pletcher looks to double up in Saturday's juvenile events, sending out morning-line favorite Nest (Curlin) in Aqueduct's GII Demoiselle S. just 30 minutes after he saddles Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) in the GII Remsen S. Romping by five lengths in her two-turn Belmont unveiling Nov. 5, the $350,000 KEESEP purchase checked in third in Belmont's one-mile Tempted S. Nov. 5. Pletcher also saddles Miss Interpret (Street Sense), winner of an off-the-turf renewal of the P.G. Johnson S.

“She should love the mile and an eighth. She had a good work on Saturday morning so she's right on course,” Pletcher said.

Tempted runner-up Magic Circle (Kantharos) also returns in this test. A decisive winner first out at Saratoga Sept. 5, the chestnut checked in fourth to future champion Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) in the GI Frizette S. at Big Sandy Oct. 3.

Tap the Faith (Tapit), a $1.25-million KEESEP buy and daughter of GISW Embellish the Lace (Super Saver), enters off a late-rallying score in her career bow at Belmont Nov. 7.

“I'm running back a little bit quick in the Demoiselle, but she's been working too well so I've got to go,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “She's sound and she looks good. I would have liked an extra week or two, but that's the way it goes. She'll get a rest after this.”

Bill Mott also sends out an impressive debut winner in this test in Godolphin homebred Nostalgic (Medaglia d'Oro). The bay ran away to a 7 3/4-length decision going 1 1/16 miles in Elmont Oct. 22.

Venti Valentine (Firing Line) faces open company for the first time after defeating her fellow Empire-breds in her first two starts. Closing from well back to get up by a nose in a NY-bred event going six panels at Belmont Sept. 26, the chestnut was a good-looking winner of a sloppy renewal of the state-bred Maid of the Mist S. there Oct. 30.

The post Nest Seeks Black-Type Badge in Demoiselle appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Medaglia d’Oro Filly Airs on Debut at Belmont

7th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 10-22, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:47.36, ft, 7 3/4 lengths.
NOSTALGIC (f, 2, Medaglia d'Oro–Been Here Before {SP}, by Tapit), scratched out of an intended unveiling here about a month ago, showed three easy breezes in the interim and was let go at 9-1 as her second-time-starting stablemate Handbelle (Tapit) took the most tote attention. The Godolphin homebred showed little early foot and sat far back in second last down the backside through splits of :24.02 and :48.50. She sliced through a seam and began to inch closer as longtime leaders Into Happiness (Into Mischief) and Saffron Moon (Malibu Moon) seemed to be separating themselves, and enjoyed an unencumbered fence run into the lane to sit third. Tipped out to take on the frontrunners, she powered to the front in midstretch and cruised away from there all by her lonesome. Into Happiness got the better of Saffron Moon for second. Handbelle never factored and checked in fourth. The winner, whose dam was second in the 2015 Caesar's Wish S. going a mile in the Laurel slop and hails from the extended female family of GISW Bob and John, was bred to Violence for 2022. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $49,500. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-William I. Mott.

The post Medaglia d’Oro Filly Airs on Debut at Belmont appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights