Tag: Personal Ensign S.

Letruska Rides Hot Streak Into Personal Ensign

Divisional leader Letruska (Super Saver) looks to continue her domination of the distaff division as the heavy favorite in Saturday's GI Personal Ensign S., a “Win and You're In” for the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff in November. Opening 2021 with a victory in the GIII Houston Ladies Classic, she suffered her only loss this season when a head second to GI Kentucky Oaks victress Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) in the GII Azeri S. at Oaklawn Mar. 13. Out-nosing two-time Eclipse winner Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the GI Apple Blossom H. Apr. 17, the bay wired the GI Ogden Phipps S. at Belmont June 5 and romped in the GII Fleur de Lis H. at Churchill last out June 26.

“She's a horse with a lot of talent. She has a strong character and the different places that we ship get more serious and more competitive,” trainer Fausto Gutierrez said.

Her biggest competition will come from champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil). Defeating Horse of the Year Authentic (Into Mischief) in the GI Preakness S. Oct. 3, the chestnut was a head-scratching seventh in the Distaff in November and returned to winning ways in her seasonal bow in Santa Anita's GI Beholder Mile Mar. 13. Third to Letruska in the Apple Blossom, she checked was a late scratch from the Phipps with a fever and had to miss the July 25 GIII Shuvee S. Due to her barn being under quarantine. She was re-routed to the GI Whitney S. Aug. 7, where she finished fourth in her third try against males.

“She needed the race,” trainer Ken McPeek said in reference to the Whitney. “She hadn't run since April. She went through that little fever she had for the Ogden Phipps. She was just off a long time. My preference was the Shuvee. I think it certainly would have been a better launching pad, but it was a good run. I'm sure she's going to improve fitness wise off that.”

Beholder Mile runner-up As Time Goes By (American Pharoah) ships in from California for Bob Baffert. Running away to a 9 1/4-length score in the GII Santa Margarita S. at Santa Anita Apr. 24, the regally bred filly won the GII Santa Maria S. by a nose there May 22 and was fourth to Shedaresthedevil last out in the Aug. 1 GI Clement L. Hirsch S. at Del Mar.

Royal Flag (Candy Ride {Arg}) is worth a look to round out the tri or superfecta. Winner of the GIII Turnback the Alarm H. in November, the chestnut came up a head short of Bonny South (Munnings) in the GIII Doubledogdare S. at Keeneland Apr. 16 and rallied to win the Shuvee.

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Essential Quality Leads Runhappy Travers Breezers

It was a busy morning at Saratoga for 3-year-olds headed towards next Saturday's $1.25-million GI Runhappy Travers S. at Saratoga, headed by GI Belmont S. hero and reigning champion juvenile Essential Quality (Tapit).

The 'TDN Rising Star,' ridden by leading jockey Luis Saez, worked outside of stablemate Bonny South (Munnings) and the duo covered five furlongs in 1:01.58 (10/18). The Godolphin homebred was caught in fractions of :11.40, :23.22 and :47.81 before galloping out three-quarters of a mile in 1:15 flat. Juddmonte's enigmatic Bonny South is also scheduled to race on Travers Day as she is expected for the GI Personal Ensign S.

“He seems to be a little more forward leading up to this race than he was in the Jim Dandy,” said trainer Brad Cox. “We've tried to sharpen him up the last few weeks and I feel like we have mentally. He's ready to go. Luis was super excited with how he worked. His last two works were better than his first two leading up to the Jim Dandy, so I feel like we have a horse who is every bit as good as we were leading into the Jim Dandy; maybe even better.”

The progressive Masqueparade (Upstart), a last-out third to Essential Quality in the July 31 GII Jim Dandy S., breezed a half-mile in :48.11 (16/41) under the watchful eye of trainer Al Stall, Jr., who believes there is improvement to come for the GIII Ohio Derby victor.

“With the shipping, I only worked him twice from the Ohio Derby to the Jim Dandy,” Stall, Jr. said. “When we got up here we noticed the track was a little deeper than it was in the past or at least it seemed that way. I think he got a little bit out of that race and it should help him for this race.”

Keepmeinmind (Laoban), who did everything short of win the Jim Dandy after being outbattled to the wire by the champ, tuned up for the Travers with a half-mile breeze of his own in :47.55 (7/41).

“He went very good,” said trainer Robertino Diodoro. “He was doing it nice and easy all on h is own and with a strong gallop out once again. Touch wood, everything is on schedule. This was easy as could be and I thought Dennis did a good job because he's not an easy horse to slow down.”

Trainer Ken McPeek, who sent out Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) to work five furlongs in 1:00 flat at Oklahoma (2/38) for the Personal Ensign, also oversaw the final pre-Travers hit-out for GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. winner King Fury (Curlin), who worked five-eighths of a mile on his own in 1:01.13 (17/38) over the same surface. Runner-up to Masqueparade and a nose better than Keepmeinmind in the Ohio Derby, the son of the late former 'TDN Rising Star' Taris (Flatter) was a latest 10th in the GI Saratoga Derby Invitational on the turf Aug. 7.

“It was a solid breeze. We caught him in a minute,” McPeek said. “It was a nice solid maintenance breeze. The horse can run all day. He's coming into the race great. I think a mile and a quarter will be right up his alley. If he jumps to another level, I think we're good. The turf race was probably a bad idea in hindsight.”

Dynamic One (Union Rags) and Miles D (Curlin), the respective one-two finishers in the July 30 Curlin S., also got in their final major work Saturday. With Irad Ortiz, Jr. up, Dynamic One covered four furlongs in :50.67 (115/144) over the training track, while Miles D, who will try to give Chad Brown a maiden Travers success, stopped the clock in 1:01.16 (19/38) for five panels, also over the Oklahoma surface.

Life Is Good On Edge For Jerkens…

'TDN Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief), unraced since an eight-length romp in the GII San Felipe S. in early March, drilled five furlongs in 1:00.61 (10/38) as he readies for his comeback test in next Saturday's GI H. Allen Jerkens S. at the Spa.

Now under the care of Todd Pletcher, the $525,000 Keeneland September yearling was completing his fifth breeze at Saratoga since being transferred from trainer Bob Baffert.

“Another very impressive breeze with a tremendous gallop out,” Pletcher said. “He seems to do things effortlessly. He's impressive to watch and it should have him ready to go in what is a demanding task going seven-eighths in a Grade 1 off a layoff. He seems to be training extremely well.

“I would argue that today was his best work of all, particularly the gallop out,” Pletcher continued. “I had him out the mile in 1:39 and one under a motionless rider. He has a good foundation of fitness.”

Mike Smith, aboard in each of Life Is Good's three previous starts, will be in from California for the ride.

Letruska Signals Readiness for Personal Ensign…

Pro-tem divisional leader Letruska (Super Saver) went five furlongs in a bullet :59.02 (1/18) over the Saratoga main track Saturday morning as she looks for her sixth win in her last seven starts in the GI Personal Ensign S. next weekend.

With Ortiz, Jr. in the saddle, the 5-year-old clicked off fractions of :12, :23.20 and :35.20 before pulling up six furlongs in 1:12 flat.

“Normally, she is a horse who likes to work fast and she worked well today,” said trainer Fausto Gutierrez. “The idea was to feel full of horse and she's a horse that is ready to run.”

Letruska, who celebrated her true coming-out party when winning the GIII Shuvee S. at Saratoga nearly a year ago, accounted for the aforementioned Bonny South by 2 3/4 lengths in the GI Ogden Phipps S. at Belmont June 5 and exits a 5 3/4-length thrashing of her rivals in the GII Fleur de Lis S. at Churchill June 26.

Spa Breezes…

GI Forego S.

  • Chance It (Currency Swap), 4f, :48.12 (18/41)
  • Mind Control (Stay Thirsty), 4f, :49.52 (57/144)
  • Mischevious Alex (Into Mischief), 4f, :48.48 (24/41)

GI Personal Ensign S.

  • Graceful Princess (Tapit), 4f, :48.95 (28/144)

GI H. Allen Jerkens S.

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An Unexpected Storybook Ending for Midnight Bisou

What was it, many have asked, that drew Jeff Bloom to Midnight Bisou at the 2017 OBS April 2-Year-Old Sale?

While it surely wasn’t her unmet reserve from the Keeneland September Sale, where bidding stalled at $19,000, perhaps it was her three-time stakes-winning dam. Diva Delite (Repent) had yet to produce a winner, but as a racehorse she had claimed the GIII Florida Oaks and earned over $300,000.

On the other hand, maybe something in the filly’s :10 1/5 breeze at the sale had caught his eye.

Bloom has been asked the question innumerable times over the past three years. There’s really only one thing he can put his finger on.

“At the end of the day, it was really her presence,” Bloom said. “She had a way about her–her eye, such a smart, keen, personal, friendly touch about her. I was just drawn to her from the second I laid eyes on her. At the breeze show, she really leveled out and had such an efficiency of motion about her that made it clear there was more there. This is the type of horse that you think you can go on with. Of course, you never know for sure, but, as it turns out, it worked out.”

It would have been impossible for anyone to have predicted the ride on which Midnight Bisou would take Bloom, his family and his partners. But now, after a four-year campaign, the daughter of Midnight Lute will sell at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale as a five-time Grade I winner, an Eclipse champion and the highest-earning dirt mare of all time.

With two runner-up efforts behind eventual Grade I winner Dream Tree (Uncle Mo) at two, Midnight Bisou dominated the 3-year-old filly division at Santa Anita with three graded wins, culminating in a 3 1/2-length come-from-behind victory in the GI Santa Anita Oaks.

“The Santa Anita Oaks was a huge accomplishment,” Bloom said. “To win as dominantly as she did was really one of those things that gives you goose bumps. At that point, we thought, ‘Wow, we’ve got arguably one of the best fillies in the country and it looks like there’s no stopping us now.'”

Midnight Bisou wrapped up her 3-year-old season with two more graded victories, never finishing out of the money in her nine starts. But she upped her game further at four, finishing first in seven of eight starts and adding a trio of Grade I wins, highlighted by one of the most heart-pounding stretch battles of the year in the GI Personal Ensign S. with Elate (Medaglia d’Oro).

“The Personal Ensign is one of my all-time favorite races for us with Midnight Bisou, but as a racing fan, to me it’s one of the most special races,” Bloom said. “When they crossed the wire, I thought the nose went to us but it was so hard to tell. Time just stands still. When they flashed our number up there, I can tell you I was floating on air. Really more than anything, I was so happy for Midnight Bisou. It’s what horse racing is all about.”

After connections made the decision to race one more season, scratching her from the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November Sale on the morning of the GI Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff, the newly-crowned Eclipse winner crossed the globe to make her 5-year-old debut this year in the $20-million Saudi Cup, where she closed to finish an ultra-game second behind fellow champion Maximum Security (New Year’s Day).

“That was one of the most thrilling, rewarding experiences of my lifetime to see her show up and go across the world and run second against the best racehorses,” Bloom said. “It made us feel like, yeah, this is all working out the way it’s supposed to.”

Fate soon intervened.

After another win in the GII Fleur de Lis S. June 27 and a close second in the Personal Ensign Aug. 1, Midnight Bisou was expected to prime for a final appearance in the Breeders’ Cup with a match-up against rival Monomoy Girl (Tapizar) in the Distaff, or perhaps even a start in the GI Classic. But during her final work before shipping to Lexington for the GI Juddmonte Spinster S., an injury forced her connections to choose an early retirement.

“We were devastated,” Bloom said. “We had more to do. She deserved to have that Breeders’ Cup trophy sitting on the mantle. It’s hard to get your head around that this is how it’s finishing. But at the end of the day, we found out she’s going to be fine and this in no way is going to affect anything as it relates to her being a broodmare, so we’ll take advantage of knowing that we had an incredible ride and she’s going to be happy and be able to shine at the Night of Stars and hopefully have a banner second career.”

Midnight Bisou retired with earnings well over $7 million and never finished out of the money in any of her 22 career starts for co-owners Bloom Racing, Madaket Stables LLC and Allen Racing LLC.

The champion has had several pedigree updates since her last time through the auction ring, with her half-brother Stage Left (Congrats) now a black-type-placed winner. Her dam, Diva Delite, sold for $1.2 million at last year’s Fasig-Tipton November Sale, carrying a colt by Justify, and this year was bred to Medaglia d’Oro.

When Midnight Bisou sells as Hip 185 with the Elite Sales consignment Nov. 8, Bloom said he won’t be unsettled by what could have been the day before at the Breeders’ Cup, but instead will find peace in remembering the ride of a lifetime he enjoyed with his family and his $80,000 purchase-turned-over $7-million dollar earner.

“It’s impossible to put into words what this ride has meant,” he admitted. “This game is my whole life. She changed my life, my family’s life, my partners’ lives. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t appreciate and understand how fortunate I am that this came, that this experience was handed to me, and I’ll forever be grateful and appreciative.”

 

 

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Jack Sisterson Talks Vexatious, Returning Calumet to Glory On TDN Writers’ Room

Two years ago, when it was announced that legendary Calumet Farm was hiring Jack Sisterson as its primary trainer, there was skepticism. At just 33 years old, with only experience as an assistant to his name, it was fair to question whether or not Sisterson was prepared to carry the flag for such a powerful racing and breeding brand. Those questions have now been answered–resoundingly in the affirmative, as just a short while later, Sisterson has not only proved equal to the task, but appears on his way to the even larger accomplishment of restoring historic Calumet to the glory of its heyday.

Still in the afterglow of pulling off a colossal upset of champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) with Calumet’s Vexatious (Giant’s Causeway) in the GI Personal Ensign S. at Saratoga, Sisterson joined the TDN Writers’ Room podcast presented by Keeneland Wednesday to talk about his first Grade I victory, his hands-on education in racing and the bright future for him and Calumet.

Calling in via Zoom as the Green Group Guest of the Week, Sisterson spoke on how he adapted his training approach to fit Vexatious, who is reaching her career peak at the age of six.

“She has an extremely high cruising speed, and she can carry that over a distance of ground,” he said. “What we found with her, she’s a filly that loves to train at 5:30. She goes right out when the track opens, because that’s what she wants. She’s very businesslike and wants to get on with it. And when I initially got her, if I asked her to go three-quarters of a mile in a workout, she would put so much effort into it that she was doing too much in the mornings and not leaving it for the afternoon. So we decided to back up all of her works to half a mile and crossed our fingers that would result in her being a little bit more energetic in the afternoons. It’s slightly worrisome when you just breeze them half a mile–do they have enough foundation in them to compete at that classic type of distance on the dirt? But with her, she puts so much effort into her gallops and half-mile breezes that she’s in that happy stage of her career at the moment.”

Asked about the process that led to his hiring by Calumet, Sisterson credited former boss Doug O’Neill and compared the aura of Calumet to another iconic brand from his upbringing playing soccer in England.

“Initially, when I had this small conversation with them, I’d never been to the farm before,” he said. “I was working for Doug at the time, who still to this day is very supportive of everything I do, which I’m very grateful for. It was Doug who pushed me out there, saying, ‘If you don’t do it, I’m going to do it.’ Being from England and a soccer player, when you grow up, there’s Manchester United, at the top of the league with so much history and success. I assumed Calumet was the Manchester United of farms. Why would they want someone like me? I’m nobody. It was honoring, humbling. I’m just a very, very, very small piece of so much hard work that goes in behind the scenes that people don’t see.”

It was soccer that first brought Sisterson to the United States and sent him on his path to stardom in the Thoroughbred racing world. Having a lifelong passion for both sports, Sisterson killed two birds with one stone by enrolling at the University of Louisville, which led to a first racing gig working alongside a Hall of Fame trainer.

“From as far as I can remember, there was racing on TV or we were going to some big racing events in the Northeast of England,” he recalled. “I fell in love with it from day one and always wanted to have some involvement in it. I was fortunate enough to be offered a soccer scholarship at Louisville, which offered the equine program. And in return, I worked summers for Todd Pletcher. That was my first introduction to the American side of racing.”

Elsewhere on the show, the writers analyzed last weekend’s major stakes action, previewed Saturday’s GI Runhappy Travers S. and took stock of where the 3-year-old picture stands exactly one month away from the GI Kentucky Derby. Then, in the West Point Thoroughbreds news segment, they reacted to the news of increased restrictions on out-of-state jockeys attempting the ride in the Derby, even as fans are still slated to be on track with much more lax requirements. Click here to watch the podcast on Vimeo, and click here for the audio-only version.

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