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Keeneland Features Ashland Showdown As Spring Meet Opens Friday

Kentucky Senator Henry Clay might be considered one of the premier American politicians pre-Lincoln, but what is not up for debate was his fervent commitment to breeding equine athletes and attending the races.

You cannot actually visit his home–Ashland–because the structure that stands on the Clay Estate just south of downtown Lexington is not original to “The Great Compromiser” and his time. However, interpretations of Clay-related objects enliven the tour.

Ashland in name was imported as a stakes race when Keeneland opened in 1936. Some familiar female runners who graced the winner's circle at the old Keene Farm include Myrtlewood, Bewitch and Doubledogdare, and more recent fillies like Inside Information, Take Charge Lady and a personal favorite of mine, Bushfire.

As Keeneland kicks off racing on Friday, the GI Central Bank Ashland S. boasts a showdown with 3-year-old fillies looking to deposit 100 points into their Kentucky Oaks account.

For starters, the top three finishers from the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies are present, including winner Just F Y I (Justify). The champion 2-year-old filly almost made the races this spring to kick start her 2024, but trainer Bill Mott was forced to wait until Keeneland.

Also Ashland bound is Jody's Pride (American Pharoah), who was second to Just F Y I at Santa Anita, and last month won the Busher S. at Aqueduct. She will be joined by the third-place finisher from the Juvenile Fillies, Candied (Candy Ride {Arg}), who also has not made a start this year for trainer Todd Pletcher. The filly returns to the site of her win in the GI Alcibiades S. last fall.

Impel | Coady Photography

In an effort to put her own stamp on an Oaks run, 'TDN Rising Star' Impel (Quality Road) will look to keep her record unblemished. Under Brad Cox's tutelage, the Juddmonte homebred broke her maiden at Fair Grounds Jan. 1 and then posted an 8 1/2-length score and a 91-Beyer against optional claimers at Oaklawn Mar. 3.

Finally, Candied's stablemate Leslie's Rose (Into Mischief) justifiably earned her 'TDN Rising Star' when she broke her maiden by 9 1/4 lengths at Aqueduct last fall before returning to finish third in the GII Davona Dale S. at Gulfstream Park Mar. 2. Halina's Forte (Mitole) will seek to raise her game for Rigney Racing, as she attempts to capitalize on her first black-type win in the Ruthless S. at the 'Big A' Feb. 17.

Keeneland's Friday slate includes the GIII Transylvania S., which draws 12, plus a pair of also-eligibles. The field for the 3-year-old turf route includes Musical Act (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), the first of several overseas arrivals in Kentucky for Godolphin and trainer Charlie Appleby.

With a packed stakes schedule, plus everything from the baby races to lower daily double takeout, these are just some of the storylines on tap at Keeneland. As for past April meet leaders, Jockey Tyler Gaffalione recorded 21 victories to secure his second consecutive spring meet riding title in 2023, while last year conditioner Wesley Ward earned his sixth consecutive training honor and ninth total.

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Smiles Abound on Saratoga’s Opening Day

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Smiles, hugs and handshakes–especially the smiles–were the currency Thursday for opening day, the annual lovefest at Saratoga Race Course.

While the New York Racing Association (NYRA) served up 10 races on the first of the 40 days of the 155th season at the Spa, the crowd of 29,102 celebrated the past, greeting old friends, as well as the present at the historic track. With a line of thunderstorms approaching from the west on a hot, humid and windy afternoon, NYRA sped up post times and was able to complete the program before the heavy rain arrived.

In a perfectly Saratoga performance at the track that was dubbed the “Graveyard of Favorites” 90 years ago, the first-time starter Becky's Joker (Practical Joke) won the 105th running of the GIII Schuylerville Stakes at 21-1. The big bay filly won by 3 1/4 lengths under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano.

Gary Contessa had trained a public stable on the NYRA circuit for decades, but was absent–except for a single start in 2021–from Saratoga for three seasons because of COVID-19 in 2020 and while working as a private trainer in Delaware. His small stable has been based at Saratoga since May and Becky's Joker delivered him his first victory of 2023. It was a memorable comeback for Contessa, who has been training since 1985. Contessa said he told owner Lee Pokoik that Becky's Joker would definitely win a maiden special weight race and probably would win the stake, and Pokoik opted for the Schuylerville with its $175,000 purse and black type.

Larry Sigler, who operates as Winning Move Stable, smiled and nodded when it was pointed out that for the moment he was the leading owner at Saratoga when his Linda Rice-trained Bustin Bay (Bustin Stones) won the first race of the day under Jose Ortiz.

“I actually never concepted that thought,” Sigler said. “You revel in the win. They're rare up here. They're incredibly special and so you don't really reflect on it, on anything. You just enjoy that moment, especially to be able to share it with my wife and my grandson. That's what makes the moment more special.”

Sigler has raced as Winning Move since 2005, has been part of many partnerships and knows his way to the winner's circle at America's oldest race track.

“There's nothing like Saratoga,” he said. “I'm not the first one to tell you that. I'm echoing what hundreds of people have told you. There's just something special here. If we invite friends of ours to spend a weekend with us, when that weekend's over, they get it. They understand what a great racing experience is. It's the heritage, the tradition. The best trainers. The best jockeys. The best racing. That combination makes everything so special.”

First race of the meet | Sarah Andrew

Apprentice jockey Jason Huayas was no stranger to Saratoga when he rode Honey Money (Central Banker) in the first race. Huayas, 30, said he worked as a groom for Ralph Nicks at Saratoga in 2015 and later was an exercise rider for Robert Ribaudo. He started his apprenticeship in 2022, is based at Monmouth Park and had a pair of mounts on Thursday.

“I never imagined to ride here,” he said.

Huayas was thankful for the mounts, both of which finished off the board.

“It's the best place to be,” he said. “You get to ride with the top dogs in the world. And hopefully I can learn from that and get more opportunities.”

New track announcer Frank Mirahmadi said he first visited Saratoga in 1997 when he was the announcer at the Great Barrington Fair, part of the Massachusetts fair circuit. He called a total of five days at Saratoga as a fill-in during the past three summers. As the horses left the for the first race he led the crowd through what has become a Saratoga tradition: “….and they're off at Saratoga.”

“It's been an incredible adrenaline rush,” he said. “Thankfully, I'm still rolling. It's been a long day. I was here early this morning talking to a lot of news stations and just sharing the passion that everyone has for Saratoga Race Course.”

Trainer Chad Brown, who is bidding for his third-straight Saratoga title, has a perfect understanding of what the start of the Saratoga season is all about. He grew up in Mechanicville, about 17 miles from the front gate of the track.

“On opening day we were in the picnic area every year,” he said, “so I really fell in love with horse racing and that's why I chose this career path.”

Brown noted that opening days at Keeneland and Del Mar are fun, too, but that Saratoga is distinctive.

“It's very special. It's very unique,” he said. “I think the vast picnic area here makes this track and the history associated with the track makes it in a group of its own. I've said before, one of the most special things about this meet and about Saratoga, really, for the fans is not only getting up close with some of the greatest horsemen and jockeys in the world, is using this facility as a meeting place for friends and family where you have your annual checkup on each other. Your annual time spent together. That's what's most important about Saratoga, I can tell you that having grown up in the community.

“If there is anything that may have changed over the years with racing schedules, some added features, like the 1863 Club, the one thing that's never changed is that this is a meeting place. In the picnic area in particular, people have their same trees, their same spots, their same routine of where they stay and that is the most special thing about it.”

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Santa Anita Kicks Off 87th Winter/Spring Season of Racing Monday

Santa Anita Park will launch its annual winter/spring live racing season on Monday with a 11-race card featuring six stakes races, highlighted by the $300,000 GI Runhappy Malibu S., $300,000 GI American Oaks, and $300,000 GI La Brea S., the last three Grade Is of the year in the U.S.

Dubbed this season for the first time as the Classic Meet, racing at Santa Anita will be conducted on a Thursday-through-Sunday schedule through Apr. 9, the exceptions being Monday, Jan. 2 for the New Year's Day holiday, Monday, Jan. 16 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Monday, Feb. 20 for Presidents' Day. After a brief respite in the spring, live racing will return for a 25-day meet Apr. 22, concluding June 18.

The first race on opening day is set for 11:00 a.m. PST. Then post time will be at noon daily through Jan. 8, at 12:30 p.m. PST through Mar. 12 and 1:00 p.m. PST for the remainder of the Classic Meet with the exception of big-race days.

A total of 93 stakes worth $17.5 million, including 10 Grade Is, are on tap during the 3 ½-month meeting. Led by the $750,000 million GI Santa Anita Derby Apr. 8, the 2022-2023 stakes schedule is rich with GI Kentucky Derby prep races and coveted Road to the Kentucky Derby qualifying points. These important Triple Crown prep races are the GIII Sham S. on Jan. 8, which is worth 10 points to the winner; the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. on Feb. 5, also worth 10; and GII San Felipe S. on Mar. 4 which guarantees 50 Road to the Kentucky Derby points to the winner. Overall, 11 winners of the Santa Anita Derby–and 18 runners in California's final prep for the Run for the Roses–have gone on to stand in the winner's circle at Churchill Downs reserved for one horse a year in Louisville on the first Saturday in May, the most recent being 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy).

This year, the historic GI Santa Anita H. will be worth $500,000 and the 1 1/4-mile event has been scheduled for Mar. 4. It remains one of the handful of original stakes events contested each year since Santa Anita opened in 1935.

Zedan Racing's Grade I winner and TDN Rising Star Taiba (Gun Runner) will face eight others in the Malibu in his first start since a third-place finish in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. Should the chestnut colt win, he would become the only 3-year-old male to win three Grade Is in 2022 and give trainer Bob Baffert a fifth Malibu winner, one shy of fellow Hall of Famer Richard Mandella. The $1.7 million FTFMAR 2-year-old purchase also won the Santa Anita Derby in his second start back in April.

Flightline (Tapit) won his first stakes race in last year's Malibu en-route to a likely 2022 Horse of the Year and champion older male Eclipse Awards.

Mandella will send out multiple Grade II winner Forbidden Kingdom (American Pharoah) for the seven-furlong test, while former California-based trainer Wesley Ward will try to take advantage of the lucrative ship-and-win money with recent Keeneland allowance winner Nakatomi (Firing Line).

The Malibu has been carded as the 10th race on the card with a 3:30 p.m. PST post time.

Baffert will tighten the girth on four of eight for the La Brea in seeking a record ninth winner, including GII Zenyatta S. winner Midnight Memories (Mastery), GII Summertime Oaks heroine Under The Stars (Pioneerof the Nile) and Fun To Dream (Arrogate), who won the Betty Grable S. at Del Mar last month. Trainer Rudy Rodriguez shipped GIII Victory Ride S. winner Hot Peppers (Khozan) and her jockey, Tyler Gaffalione, to the Left Coast in what will be her first start in 2 1/2 months. Post time for the La Brea, which is the day's 8th race, is 2:30 p.m. PST.

Anchoring the day's card with a 4:11 p.m. PST post time is the American Oaks, which drew a field of 11 runners from coast to coast. Joining the local contingent set to line up will be two trained by East Coast-based Graham Motion, and one each from Brendan Walsh, Chad Brown and Shug McGaughey. Last year's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Pizza Bianca (Fastnet Rock {Aus}) debuts for Motion after her previous eight-race career in the hands of Christophe Clement. She most recently was a $3.45 million RNA at KEENOV and returns in the colors of celebrity chef Bobby Flay.

Pizza Bianca will join her new stablemate, GIII Valley View S. winner Sparkle Blue (Hard Spun), in the gate, while Walsh will for the first time send out G1 Bet365 Fillies Mile S. winner Mise En Scene (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) returning to action off a sixth-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. McGaughey shipped G2 Sands Point S. winner Skims (GB) (Frankel {GB}) to California with the Brown-trained Winter Memories S. winner and TDN Rising Star Salimah (Ire) (El Kabeir) for the 10-furlong turf test.

Other stakes on the Monday card include the $200,000 GIII Santa Anita Mathis Mile, which drew a field of seven turf milers including I'm A Gambler (Ire) (No Nay Never), who sold for a sales-topping $1,076,000 at TATIHA in October to Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal; the $200,000 GII San Gabriel S., a 1 1/8-mile turf test and traditional early prep for the historic GIII San Juan Capistrano S. at the end of the season; and the $200,000 GII San Antonio S., in years past a traditional prep for the Big 'Cap but more recently used as a stepping stone to both the $6 million G1 Dubai World Cup and $20 million G1 Saudi Cup. Last year's Dubai World Cup winner Country Grammer (Tonalist) will have European champion jockey Frankie Dettori back aboard in the 1 1/16-mile test for the first time since the pair teamed up for the win at Meydan nine months ago. Dettori, in his first and likely last winter in California before his retirement from the saddle at the end of 2023, is scheduled to ride five on the Monday card.

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Advance Ticket Sales Ahead of Dec. 26 Classic Meet Opener

Santa Anita Park will offer a pre-sale of tickets the track's Classic Meet opening day Monday, Dec. 26 beginning next Tuesday, Nov. 29 for those that register at www.santaanita.com.

Santa Anita will also offer fans its traditional wall calendar free of charge with paid admission on its newly branded Classic Meet opening day, which continues through Apr. 9. Additionally, the Mathis Home Plush Toy Horse will be offered as a way for fans to contribute to the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA). Santa Anita Park Newsletter subscribers can purchase pre-sale tickets to opening day for two days–Nov. 29 and Nov. 30.

Ticket sales for opening day will be available to the General Public beginning Thursday, Dec. 1, at 10 a.m. by visiting www.santaanita.com/events and tickets can also be purchased by calling the Santa Anita Ticket Office at (626) 574-6366.

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