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‘Ultra-Consistent’ Pixelate Headlines Saturday’s Woodchopper At Fair Grounds

Even though Godolphin LLC's homebred Pixelate is be the class of the field in Saturday's $75,000 Woodchopper, he's going to have to earn the victory as he leads the way over a strong field of 3-year-olds. The Woodchopper, run at about one bodemile on the Stall-Wilson Turf Course at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans, La., drew a baker's dozen, including a quintet of stakes winners.

Pixelate (post 5 at 4-1 with Angel Suarez) has been a top-level performer from the start for trainer Mike Stidham. He won the Central Park at Aqueduct as a 2-year-old to conclude a 2-for-4 freshman campaign, and the son of City Zip has only progressed from there. It took him a bit to get over a class hump this year, but Pixelate picked the right time to break through, winning the Del Mar Derby (G2) in September. He followed up with a close fifth in the Belmont Derby (G1) in October, and enters off a closing fourth in Keeneland's Nov. 6 Bryan Station, a race in which he was hung 10-wide on the turn for home. Pixelate is 3-for-13 lifetime and has answered the bell every time, which has been no surprise to Stidham.

“He's been ultra-consistent over the last two years and we've always thought he was very talented,” Stidham said. “In several of his races he was coming up just a little bit short and wasn't quite getting there. He's been running against some really solid, tough horses. Even in the Grade 1 he only got beat a couple lengths, and he's on the cusp of being in the top group of his category.”

Pixelate has run 1 1/8 miles or farther in his last five starts, though he shows a good second at a mile in the War Chant at Churchill Downs in May. While the Woodchopper won't be at his ideal distance, Stidham is hoping Pixelate won't be compromised at a shorter trip.

“I don't think the cutback will be a problem,” Stidham said. “He can lay in a forward position. I would prefer it being 1 1/16 miles but from a class standpoint he's been hooking some tough horses and I think he's in a good spot.”

Contention runs deep in the Woodchopper and Repole Stable's Bodecream (post 2 as Mike Diliberto's lukewarm 7-2 morning line favorite with James Graham) enters in career-best form for trainer Mike Maker. The son of Bodemeister started his career 2-for-8 for trainer Danny Pish, and following a private purchase, he was turned over to Maker this summer. He has really blossomed, though he's still looking for his first win for his new connections. Bodecream, 2-for-11 lifetime, was third in Saratoga's Saranac (G3) in August in his first start for Maker, third in Belmont's Hill Prince (G2) in October, and he enters off a nose second in Aqueduct's Nov. 27 Gio Ponti.

Calumet Farm's homebred Blackberry Wine (post 9 at 9-2 with Gabriel Saez) is the wildcard for trainer Joe Sharp. He is winless in three turf starts but enters off an extremely fast optional-claiming win on Dec. 13 here on the main track. The son of Oxbow has been third, however, in all three grass starts, and he hasn't been over the surface since running in an optional-claimer here last December. Blackberry Wine is 2-for-11 lifetime and could prove the one to catch.

Completing the Woodchopper field from the rail out: Kueber Racing LLC, Ten Strike Racing, and Mark Blieden's Pit Boss (20-1 with Mitchell Murrill); P. Dale Ladner's Jack the Umpire (post 3 at 20-1 with Jack Gilligan); Wayne R. Sanders and Larry Hirsch's Spanish Kingdom (post 4 at 8-1 with Brian Hernandez Jr.); Paradise Farms Corp's Dynadrive (post 6 at 12-1 with Shaun Bridgmohan); Brian L. Gunder's Top Draw (post 7 at 20-1 with Francisco Arrieta); Stallionaire Enterprises LLC's Doc Boy (post 8 at 12-1 with Florent Geroux); Ken and Sarah Ramsey's homebred Telephone Talker (post 10 at 12-1 with Adam Beschizza); Susan Moulton's Stanford (Ire) (post 11 at 20-1 with Marcelino Pedroza); Rick Rinn and Richard and Karen Boyer's Victory Boulevard (post 12 at 20-1 wit Miguel Mena); and Dixiana Farms LCC's Oak Hill (post 13 at 6-1 with Colby Hernandez).

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Saratoga Derby Top Three Meet Again in Open Belmont Derby

The first three across the wire in a blanket finish in the Saratoga Derby Invitational S. last month will reconvene along with some interesting new shooters in Saturday’s GI Belmont Derby Invitational S. at Big Sandy, a “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

Narrowly victorious at the Spa was Klaravich Stables’ Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}), given slight morning-line favoritism here at 5-2. Bought for 300,000 guineas at Tattersalls October in 2018, the gelding graduated on debut at even-money Feb. 12 at Tampa and repeated with a fast finish in a mile allowance here June 7. Left with too much to do when third in the GII Hall of Fame S. July 18 at the Spa, he showed tactical speed for the first time in the Saratoga Derby and ground out a head victory.

Just missing was runner-up Gufo (Declaration of War). Graduating at second asking Dec. 29 at Gulfstream, the chestnut scored last-to-first victories in an optional claimer and the English Channel S. there Mar. 27 and May 2, respectively before making it three in a row with a half-length success in the GIII Kent S. July 4 at Delaware.

Wertheimer et Frere’s No Word (Silent Name {Jpn}) was a debut winner last summer at Saratoga and finished fifth as the favorite in the GIII Pilgrim S. in his juvenile finale. Third in a pair of tries this summer, the dark bay narrowly annexed a local optional claiming July 9 before running third at 18-1 in the Saratoga Derby.

Two last-out stakes winners add to the fray. Moon Over Miami (Malibu Moon), who was briefly on the GI Kentucky Derby trail earlier this year, scored a Churchill allowance victory on grass June 20 before running fourth at 14-1 in the Hall of Fame and drawing in off the also-eligible list to take the Gun Runner Dueling Grounds Derby Sept. 10 at Kentucky Downs. Godolphin’s Pixelate (City Zip), second or third in five straight stakes tries as a 3-year-old–including a runner-up finish to Gufo in the Kent–surged late to get up by a head in the GII Del Mar Derby Sept. 6.

Rounding out the major contenders is Venezuelan Hug (Constitution). Claimed from Orlyana Farm and Alexis Delgado when running third in a $40,000 maiden claimer Mar. 25 at Gulfstream, the gray dominated Florida-bred maiden special weight rivals next out Apr. 25 and repeated in a starter optional claimer May 30. Not quite ready for prime time when last of six in the GII Pennine Ridge S. here June 20, he bounced back with a sharp allowance success Aug. 9 at Saratoga and shows a pair of bullet half-mile works over Saratoga’s Oklahoma turf for Danny Gargan in this return to stakes company.

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Stidham Ships Pixelate West To Win Del Mar Derby

Godolphin's Pixelate, benefitting from yet another perfectly timed ride on the turf by Del Mar's leading rider, Umberto Rispoli, was along in time to score by a head in the 76th running of the $200,000 Del Mar Derby Sunday at the shore oval near San Diego, Calif.

The invader from the East Coast — trained by Michael Stidham — had a near perfect trip saving ground and laying third for most of the run, then put it in gear down the lane for the Italian journeyman who is riding like a star in his first season at Del Mar. It was the fourth winner on the afternoon for Rispoli giving him a one-win lead – 49 to 48 — over his ace counterpart, Flavien Prat, who had a pair of victories on the card, including a stakes score that was his 14th of the meet, a Del Mar riding record. The battle for supremacy between these two exceptional riders at this 81st summer stand will come down to the 27th and final day of the meet on Monday.

Pixelate, a homebred City Zip colt and the 3-2 favorite, returned $5.00, $3.20 and $2.80 across the board after he covered the nine furlongs in 1:50.25. He picked up a winner's share of $120,000 and now has a record of three wins, five seconds and three thirds in 11 starts for winnings of $311,400.

Finishing second was Alfred Pais' Margot's Boy, while third was Paula Capestro's Dominant Soul.

“I talked to Mike (trainer Michael Stidham) this morning and we both agreed that we had the best horse in the race. I said I wanted to ride him up closer than normal for him; I told him this is a smaller tighter course, not like Churchill (Downs). He said: 'You ride him like you want to.' I had a great trip and he fired when he had to. I'm very happy. And I've waited 16 years (his riding career) to wear these (pointing to the Godolphin royal blue silks).”

Earlier on the card, Kaleem Shah's Madone split horses at the head of the stretch and went gamely through the stretch under Flavien Prat to capture the ninth running of the $75,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf at a mile on the grass by a half length.

The victory gave rider Prat his 14th stakes win of the meeting, establishing a new mark for stakes scores in a single summer session. Previously, Rafael Bejarano held the record with 13 victories set in 2012.

Madone paid $5.20, $3.00 and $2.40 across the board as the race favorite and earned a check for $$48,300 for his second victory in two starts and now shows winnings of $81,300.

CYBT, Nentwig or Altamira Racing Stable's Nimbostratus was second across the line, but moved back to third for interference in the stretch with LNJ Foxwoods' Ivy League, who was moved up from third to second.

Final time for the 2-year-old filly stakes was 1:39.09.

Del Mar's closing card will take place tomorrow on Labor Day with an 11-race program on tap. First post will be at 1 p.m.

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Trio Of Fillies Take On The Boys In Del Mar Derby

Over the 76 years the race has been run, no more than a handful of fillies have stepped up to take on the boys in the Grade 2, $200,000 Del Mar Derby. That was until 2020 – the year that has turned everything and everyone sideways.

This year's edition of the “Derby” will have not one, not two, but three fillies ready to rock 'n roll with the guys. The 1 1/8 miles out of the track's diagonal turf chute looks more like a European heat, where the girls take on the boys all the time. It also adds a delicious dimension to a test that is the conclusion of the track's three-race grass series for sophs, led off by the RunHappy Oceanside Stakes and followed up by the La Jolla Handicap.

Sunday's three fillies – all with serious shots to win the race – are Barber or Wachtel Stable's California Kook, Benowitz Family Trust and Madaket Stables' Guitty and Ben and Sally Warren's Warren's Showtime.

The possible favorite in the race, though, appears to be the shipper Pixelate, a colt by City Zip who is in from the east coast to tackle the west coasters and making an appearance at his seventh racetrack in what will be his 11th lifetime start. Pixelate is owned by the powerhouse outfit Godolphin and is trained by the veteran Michael Stidham. He's run in seven straight grass stakes and has finished in the top three in all of them. Having leading rider Umberto Rispoli in the boot Sunday won't hurt his chances.

Here's the full field for the Del Mar Derby from the rail out with riders and morning line odds: BKB Stables or Sherman's American Farmer (Ricky Gonzalez, 20-1); California Kook (Flavien Prat, 5-1); Guitty (Evan Flores, 8-1); Pixelate (3-1); Todd or Shawn Hansen's No Slo Mo (Giovanni Franco, 30-1); Wertheimer & Frere's Kanderel (Juan Hernandez, 12-1); Warren's Showtime (Jose Velez, 6-1); John Sondereker's Kiss Today Goodbye (Drayden Van Dyke, 8-1); Paula Capestro's Dominant Soul (Edwin Maldonado, 20-1); Hronis Racing's Heywoods Beach (Jose Valdivis, Jr., 12-1); Alfred Pais' Margot's Boy (Tiago Pereira, 12-1), and Karl Pergola's K P All Systems Go (Abel Cedillo, 6-1).

California Kook, a daughter of Boisterous, most recently ran second in the G1I Del Mar Oaks locally on August 22. She's been first or second in five of her eight starts for trainer Peter Miller.

Guitty, a French-bred, was a close-up second in the San Clemente on the grass earlier in the meet. The late-running miss works under the watchful eye of the French trainer Leonard Powell.

Warren's Showtime, bred by his owners, has won five of 12 starts and has banked more than $460,000. She's a daughter of Clubhouse Ride, who was trained by Craig Lewis, the man who now trains Warren's Showtime.

The Del Mar Derby will be race No. 10 on the 11-race Sunday program and one of three stakes on the afternoon. First post Sunday is at 1 p.m.

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