Edgeway (Competitive Edge) is four-for-six and has never been off the board, having paired up 94 Beyer Speed Figures in a Santa Anita optional claimer in February and the Carousel S. at Oaklawn Apr. 10. She defeated MGSW Frank's Rockette (Into Mischief) in the Carousel. Edgeway's stablemate Candura (Into Mischief) was also last seen in Hot Springs. A debut-winning juvenile at Del Mar, the now 5-year-old missed all of 2019 and 2020, but shook off the rust to annex a pair of optional claimers in April.

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A Grade 2, the Great Lady M is for fillies & mares (3-year-olds) and up at 6 ½ furlongs. It is the eighth of nine races on closing day of the Summer Thoroughbred Festival. Scheduled post time for the main event is 4:28 p.m.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert for Michael Lund Petersen, Gamine has won seven of eight and earned $1,286,500.

A 4-year-old Into Mischief filly out of the Kafwain mare Peggy Jane, Gamine has four Grade 1 successes in three different states on her resume. She has earned those victories – the Acorn at Belmont Park, the Test at Saratoga, the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Keeneland in 2020 and the Derby City Distaff at Churchill Downs earlier this year – by a combined 33 ½ lengths.

Baffert, who has won the Great Lady M. previously with Fantastic Style (2015) and Marley's Freedom (2018-2019), also entered Qahira.

Idle since finishing a distant second behind Gamine in the Grade 3 Las Flores April 4, the 5-year-old Cairo Prince mare has won half of her 10 races for Baoma Corporation and banked $249,400.

Out of the Bates Motel mare Motel Lass, Qahira is 1-for-1 at Los Alamitos. She won an optional claimer as the 3-5 choice during the 2019 Summer Thoroughbred Festival.

Edgeway will be aiming for her third consecutive victory for Hronis Racing LLC and trainer John Sadler.

The 4-year-old Competitive Edge filly out of the Stormin Fever mare Magical Solution followed a win in an optional claimer Feb. 7 at Santa Anita with a stakes success in the Carousel April 10 at Oaklawn Park.

Edgeway has won four of six and earned $307,200. She was runner-up in the Grade 3 Dogwood as a 3-year-old in her only prior start in a graded race.

Hronis Racing and Sadler also entered Candura, a lightly-raced 5-year-old Into Mischief mare. The gray, who is out of the Candy Ride mare Halloween Candy, has won three of four and banked $162,945. She is 2-for-2 in 2021 with both victories coming at Oaklawn Park, the most recent April 25.

Her win in California came in her career debut Aug. 22, 2018 going five furlongs on the Del Mar turf.

A 4-year-old Shanghai Bobby filly out of the Richter Scale mare Lady Dynasty, Dynasty of Her Own will seek her first graded victory for Tommy Town Thoroughbreds LLC and trainer Jonathan Wong.

The Kentucky bred has won seven of 11 and earned $194,148. She has been away since capturing a $34,980 allowance over the Tapeta surface at Golden Gate Fields May 20.

Her only win in four tries on dirt came in the Borderplex Stakes at Sunland Park in New Mexico Jan. 26, 2020. In her lone graded stakes try, she finished fifth of six in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks at 1 1/16 miles last year at Prairie Meadows.

Trained by Simon Callaghan for Kaleem Shah Inc., Bella Vita will be making her graded debut. A daughter of Bayern and the Storm Cat mare Queenie Cat, the 4-year-old is 2-for-8 with earnings of $181,790. The California bred has been worse than third only once in her career.

Owned D K Racing LLC, Radley Equine Inc., breeder Helen Alexander and Ramona and Perry Bass II and trained by Dan Blacker, Eyes Open broke her maiden in her seventh career start May 23. The 4-year-old Street Sense filly out of the Bernardini mare Delightful mare has banked $56,920.

Road Rager will be making her first start in nearly 10 months for Samantha Siegel's Jay Em Ess Stable and trainer Brian Koriner.

The 5-year-old Quality Road mare was last seen finishing third in an optional claimer last Sept. 6 at Del Mar. Out of the Aggressive Chief mare She Is Raging, Road Rager has won twice in 13 attempts and banked $128,162.

From inside out, the field for the Great Lady M Stakes:

1. Candura, Tyler Baze rides, 119 pounds
2. Dynasty of Her Own, Ricardo Gonzalez, 119
3. Qahira, Abel Cedillo, 119
4. Edgeway, Flavien Prat, 119
5. Gamine, John Velazquez, 119
6. Bella Vita, Juan Hernandez, 119
7. Eyes Open, Edwin Maldonado, 119
8. Road Rager, Jessica Pyfer, 119

The post Gamine Tops Field Of Eight For Monday’s Great Lady M Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Not among the original nominees to the race, Michael Lund's speedster was supplemented to the six-furlong test for $2,000, and the owner of the fastest five speed figures should make light work of it. The $220,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $1.8-million Fasig-Tipton Midlantic topper was devastating going one turn last season, winning those four races by a combined 38 1/4 lengths. Those included an 18 3/4-length romp in the GI Longines Acorn S. going a mile on the GI Belmont S. undercard June 20 and a seven-length thumping of Venetian Harbor (Munnings) in the GI Longines Test S. at Saratoga Aug. 8. Unable to see out the nine furlongs of the GI Kentucky Oaks–from which she was subsequently DQd from third to ninth–she was back to her best, defeating Serengeti Empress (Alternation) and Bell's the One (Majesticperfection) by a record 6 1/4 lengths in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. Gamine is expected to use the Las Flores as a steppingstone to the GI Derby City Distaff May 2 and John Velazquez sticks around to ride.

Stablemate and fellow 'Rising Star' Qahira (Cairo Prince) looks most likely to finish closest to Gamine. Winner of five of her nine career starts, including the Jan. 10 Kalookan Queen S., the 5-year-old exits a third to the Baffert-trained Merneith (American Pharoah) in the GII Santa Monica S. Feb. 13.

The post Gamine Preps For Bigger Prizes in Las Flores appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Supplemented at a cost of $2,000, owner Michael Lund Petersen's Gamine will face three rival fillies and mares in what will be her first start at Santa Anita since she aired by 6 ¼ lengths in her 6 ½ furlong debut on March 7, 2020. A winner of both the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes going a one turn mile at Belmont Park on June 20 and the Grade 1 Test Stakes going seven furlongs at Saratoga Aug. 8, Gamine, who was purchased for $1.8 million at the Fasig Tipton Mid Atlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale in May, 2019, has four wins from six starts with earnings of $883,000.

A disappointing third and subsequently disqualified to last in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks Sept. 4, Gamine and John Velazquez bounced back with a huge effort in a return to sprinting, as she sat second turning for home en route to a 6 ¼ length score as the even money favorite in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

With Velazquez set to ride for the fifth consecutive time, Gamine has been favored in all six of her starts—five of them as the odds-on choice. By Into Mischief out of Peggy Jane, by Kafwain, Gamine is a brilliant talent that will no doubt be pointed to the Breeders' Cup in November at Del Mar.

While Gamine lacks recency, her talented stablemate Qahira, who will be making her third start of the meet, does not and she is the clear-cut second choice. A winner of the 6 ½ furlong Kalookan Queen Stakes Jan. 10, she was subsequently third, beaten 4 ½ lengths by Baffert's Merneith in the Grade 2 Santa Monica going seven furlongs on Feb. 13.

Owned by Baoma Corporation, Qahira has been ridden in her last two starts by the now-departed Joel Rosario, so Flavien Prat has the call on Sunday. A close third going 6 ½ furlongs three starts back in the Grade 3 Chillingworth Stakes here on Sept. 25, Qahira, a 5-year-old mare by Cairo Prince out of the Bates Motel mare Motel Lass, has five wins from nine starts and she'll be seeking her first graded stakes win in the Las Flores.

THE GRADE 3 LAS FLORES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 2 of 9 Approximate post time 1:30 p.m. PT

1. Gamine—John Velazquez—124
2. Qahira—Flavien Prat—122
3. Hang a Star—Abel Cedillo—120
4. Biddy Duke—Umberto Rispoli–124

First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Quick from the blocks but under a snug hold head and head with stablemate Golden Principal, Merneith was set down three-sixteenths of a mile from home and quickly spurted clear in a no-doubt-about-it effort as Golden Principal and Qahira completed the Baffert tri.

“I had five fillies for the race and I ended up with three and I needed a rider,” said Baffert when asked how it was that Maldonado was named to ride.  “The one thing about Edwin is he's probably one the best speed gate riders there is.  This filly, every time I run her, I expect to win and she gets beat…I've been really surprised she hadn't done what (she did) today and she showed it.  I'm just really happy for him.  He did a fantastic job getting her out of the gate, she relaxed.

“She looks like American Pharoah to me.  When she came in, she looked almost like a spitting image of him.  I'm glad they (American Pharoah's progeny) are starting to run now…The (owner) in Dubai, I was telling him how high I was on this filly.  Today is the day she finally showed what she has and that was a pretty tough field of horses that she beat.  To win one-two-three, it was nice cheering down the lane.”

Third, beaten 3 ¾ lengths versus sophomore fillies in the G1, seven-furlong La Brea Stakes on Dec. 26, Merneith was off at 9-1 and paid $20.40, $9.20 and $5.80.

“I'm just so happy, it's another dream of mine to win for Bob Baffert,” said Maldonado.  “It took awhile, but we got it done. … At first she broke good, I looked over and I see Mike Smith (aboard Golden Principal) and he was right next to me and I'm like 'Oh, what do I do?  Should I let him go or no?'  But it worked out good, Mike stayed off of me and we both relaxed.  Going into the race, Bob was telling me she was doing good and had good works.”

Owned by HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud, Merneith, who is out of the Flatter mare Flattermewithroses, Merneith registered her first graded stakes win and improved her overall mark to 10-4-3-2.  With the winner's share of $120,000, she increased her earnings to $357,900.

Second in the La Brea, Golden Principal was again second best today, finishing 2 ¼ lengths clear of Qahira.  Off at 5-1, Golden Principal paid $6.80 and $4.60.

Forwardly placed throughout, Qahira finished 1 ¼ lengths in front of Biddy Duke.  Ridden by Joel Rosario, Qahira was off at 3-1 and paid $4.20 to show.

Prominent disappointments in the race were last year's winner, Hard Not to Love, who went off as the 2-1 favorite, and the La Brea winner Fair Maiden, both of whom never threatened and finished seventh and eighth respectively.

Fractions on the Santa Monica were 22.64, 45.34 and 1:09.61.

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Merneith and Golden Principal make up two-thirds of the Bob Baffert contingent in this event. Merneith beat Golden Principal by 3 1/4 lengths in a six-panel optional claimer at Santa Anita Oct. 11 prior to her Keeneland victory and was third in the La Brea. In between that Oct. 11 test and the La Brea, Golden Principal captured a one-mile optional claimer at Del Mar Nov. 27. Rounding out the Baffert trio is Qahira (Cairo Prince). Run down late and forced to settle for second in the local GIII Chillingworth S. in September, the bay won the Kalookian Queen S. here last time Jan. 10.

Grade I winner Hard Not to Love (Hard Spun) looks to defend her title after taking last year's renewal of this test. The 'TDN Rising Star' has been winless since, but did place four graded events last term, most recently finishing third in the GIII La Canada S. Jan. 9.

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Dismissed at 20-1 in the Dec. 26 La Brea, Fair Maiden rallied for an emphatic 2 ¼ length win, as a pair of Bob Baffert fillies, Golden Principal and Merneith, ran second and third. Harty, a former assistant to Baffert, will have to again contend with those two plus yet another Baffert runner, Qahira.

Last year's winner as the 3-5 favorite, Hard Not to Love, has been winless in her last five races, all routes, and will try to rebound for John Shirreffs with the first time services of leading rider Juan Hernandez.

A 4-year-old filly by Street Sense, Godolphin, LLC's homebred Fair Maiden settled nicely when ridden for the first time by Ricky Gonzalez and she was able to exploit fast fractions of 21.80, 44.40 and 1:09.80 en route to a final clocking of 1:22.60 and a career-best 92 Beyer Speed figure. The win also provided Gonzalez, who shifted his tack from Golden Gate Fields to Southern California last year, with his first-ever Grade 1 win.

“I've been watching Ricky ride since he came down here and I think he's the next superstar,” said Harty following the La Brea. “He's brave and he puts his horse in a spot to win. I grab him every time I can because I think he's a world class rider…”

With four wins from eight career starts, Fair Maiden, along with six others, will be facing older mares for the first time.

As is seemingly always the case, Baffert holds a very strong hand on Saturday. Golden Principal, who was off at 12-1 in the La Brea, finished 1 ½ lengths clear of her stablemate Merneith while neither were any match for Fair Maiden.

Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Golden Principal, a 4-year-old filly by Constitution, appears to be on the improve and will likely stalk the early pace with regular rider Mike Smith up.

Ridden by John Velazquez in the La Brea, Merneith will be ridden for the first time by Edwin Maldonado, who is regarded as an outstanding gate rider, making it likely that she'll blast off from the rail and try to take the field gate to wire. A 4-year-old daughter of American Pharoah, Merneith, who was off at 7-2 in the La Brea, is owned by HRH Prince Sultan Bin Mishal Al Saud and has an overall mark of 9-3-3-2.

Quick from the blocks, Baffert's Qahira, a one length winner as the 3-2 favorite of the ungraded Kalookan Queen Stakes going 6 ½ furlongs on Jan. 10, has won five of her eight starts. With Joel Rosario back aboard, Qahira, who is owned by Baoma Corporation, has one win from two tries at seven furlongs and looms extremely dangerous as she shoots for her first graded stakes win.

Third, beaten six lengths in the Grade 3 La Canada Stakes going a mile and one sixteenth on Jan. 9, Hard Not to Love has two wins from three tries at seven furlongs, including last year's Santa Monica. Quite often temperamental as a result of the fact she races with one eye, Shirreffs is hoping Juan Hernandez can provide the Midas-touch as she gets back to sprinting for the first time since Feb. 15 of last year.

A 5-year-old Ontario-Canadian-bred mare by Hard Spun, the appropriately named Hard Not to Love is owned by Mercedes Stables, LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, Scott Dilworth, Dorothy and David Ingordo and Steve Mooney. With an overall mark of 11-5-3-2, Hard Not to Love, who also won last year's Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at seven furlongs, has earnings of $592,980.

Lending further depth to a quality field is Richard Mandella's Amuse, who was second, beaten one length by Qahira in the Jan. 10 Kalookan Queen. A 6-year-old mare by Medaglia d'Oro, Amuse has two wins from 11 starts and seeks her first graded stakes win for owners Bass Racing, LLC, Claiborne Farm and Adele Dilschneider.

THE GRADE 2 SANTA MONICA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1. Merneith—Edwin Maldonado—120
2. Miss Stormy D—Tyler Baze—120
3. Fair Maiden—Ricardo Gonzalez—124
4. Hard Not to Love—Juan Hernandez—120
5. Qahira—Joel Rosario—120
6. Golden Principal—Mike Smith—120
7. Secret Keeper—Abel Cedillo—120
8. Amuse—Drayden Van Dyke—120
9. Proud Emma—Geovanni Franco—122
10. Pharoah's Heart—Jessica Pyfer—120
11. Biddy Duke—Umberto Rispoli—122
12. Bohemian Bourbon—Flavien Prat–120

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com.

The post Fair Maiden Out To Prove She’s No Fluke In Santa Monica appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Due to air quality concerns resulting from the Bobcat Fire in the nearby San Gabriel Mountains, Santa Anita's 2020 Autumn Meet, originally scheduled to begin on Sept. 19, will instead open this Friday, with both the Grade III Chillingworth and the Grade II Eddie D Stakes headlining a 10-race card.

Baffert will also be well represented by classy Quality Response, a restricted stakes winner at two who will be making her second start of the year on Friday and by recent restricted stakes winner Message, a 4-year-old filly that will be shortening up out of four consecutive routes.

Formerly run as the LA Woman Stakes, the Chillingworth honors the memory of longtime Oak Tree Racing Association Executive Vice President Sherwood Chillingworth, who passed away in October, 2019 at the age of 93.

QAHIRA

Owner: Baoma Corporation

Trainer: Bob Baffert

A winner of four out of her six career starts, Qahira, who dominated her competition by taking a 6 ½ furlong classified allowance by three lengths on Aug. 16 at Del Mar, will be making her second start of the year and will also be trying stakes competition for the first time. Although ridden last time by Abel Cedillo, top eastern rider Luis Saez, who comes to town primarily to ride Maximum Security for Baffert in Saturday's Grade I Awesome Again, will be aboard for the first time. Dating back to her 4 ¾ length first-out maiden romp on Nov. 25, 2018, she has dominated her competition by a combined 13 ¼ lengths in her four victories. With speed to spare and Saez aloft, Qahira is the horse to beat in the Chillingworth.

QUALITY RESPONSE

Owner: Mike Pegram, Karl Watson & Paul Weitman

Trainer: Bob Baffert

A winner of her first two starts in September of last year by a combined 12 ¾ lengths, this daughter of Quality Road was subsequently dispatched at 7-2 in the Grade I Frizette Stakes going a one turn mile at Belmont Park on Oct. 6, 2019, but finished a well beaten last and did not resurface prior to running a respectable fourth, beaten 3 ¼ lengths in second condition allowance going 5 ½ furlongs on Sept. 6 at Del Mar. With a recent race under her belt, look for big improvement.

AMUSE

Owner: Claiborne Farm, Ramona Bass, Perry Bass & Adele Dilschneider

Trainer: Richard Mandella

A game second when beaten 3 ¾ lengths in the Grade III Rancho Bernardo on Aug. 21, this 5-year-old mare by Medaglia d'Oro, who has two wins from nine starts, will be making her fifth start of the year and with two wins from three lifetime starts at Santa Anita, rates a solid chance.

THE GRADE III CHILLINGWORTH, WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 6 of 10 Approximate post time 3 p.m. PT

1. Message – Flavien Prat- 124
2. Qahira – Luis Saez – 124
3. Into Chocolate – Umberto Rispoli – 124
4. Mucho Amor – Juan Hernandez – 124
5. Hang a Star – Tyler Baze – 122
6. Unique Factor – Heriberto Figueroa – 124
7. Amuse – Drayden Van Dyke – 122

First post time for a 10-race program on Friday is at 12:30 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

The post Baffert-Trained Trio Tops Friday’s Chillingworth Stakes On Opening Day At Santa Anita appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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