Tag: Racing

Hiroshi Yamada's Titleholder took control inside the final quarter mile and swept to a two-length victory in course-record time in the 1 3/8-mile Takarazuka Kinen (G1) Sunday at Hanshin Racecourse.

With the victory, Titleholder earned an automatic starting position and fees paid into the $4 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) November 5 at Keeneland through the Breeders' Cup Challenge “Win and You're In” series.

Registering his third Group 1 triumph, Titleholder, now six of 12 lifetime, completed the 1 3/8 miles in 2:09.7 on a course listed as to good to firm.

The 4-1 second choice in the 17-horse field, Titleholder made a smooth break from stall six and settled in second along the backstretch, three lengths behind 10-1 Panthalassa. Titleholder gradually closed in on the leader approaching the last two corners and, after drawing even with Panthalassa entering the stretch, easily pulled away with powerful strides for a comfortable victory over Hishi Iguazu.

“This was my fourth race with Titleholder and I knew how the colt could run in good rhythm,” said winning rider Kazuo Yokoyama. “The pace was fast, but I wasn't concerned because he still had enough power left in the straight. He's still in the process of maturing and I think he'll get better going forward.”

Following the race, winning trainer Toru Kurita indicated that Titleholder would be pointed next to the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), also a Breeders' Cup Challenge race for the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, on October 2 at Longchamp in Paris.

Hishi Iguazu, the 9-1 fifth choice, broke well to settle around sixth by the rail, angled out slightly after the third corner and launched the fastest late drive to pass his rivals one by one in the last 300 meters but failed to close in on the winner while securing the runner-up spot.

Daring Tact, the 2020 Fillies' Triple Crown winner, sat in 10th place just behind Efforia, the 3-1 favorite. She made headway on the outer path passing the 1,000-meter point, showed the second fastest late kick and, although unable to threaten the top two finishers, nosed out Deep Bond right before the wire to finish third.

Meiner Fanrong finished fifth, followed by Efforia in sixth, Win Marilyn in seventh, and Panthalassa in eighth in the field of 17.

The Takarazuka Kinen was Titleholder's fourth win from his last five starts. He captured the 1 7/8-mile Kikuka Sho (Japanese St. Leger) (G1) wire to wire at Hanshin last October, and after closing the year with a fifth-place finish in the Arima Kinen (G1) on December 26, he opened 2022 with a front-running score in the 1 9/16-mile Nikkei Sho (G2) at Nakayama on March 26. Prior to the Takarazuka Kinen, he won the two-mile Tenno Sho (Spring) (G1) at Hanshin by seven lengths on May 1.

Titleholder is a 4-year-old son of Duramante out of Mowen, by Motivator, and was bred by Okada Stud. He is the third horse to earn a Breeders' Cup Challenge berth into this year's Breeders' Cup Turf, joining Village King, winner of the Gran Premio International Carlos Pellegrini (G1) in Argentina, and State of Rest, who won the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot.

As a part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Titleholder to start in the Breeders' Cup Turf. Breeders' Cup will also provide a travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.

The post Titleholder Streaks To Hanshin Course Record In Takarazuka Kinen, Earns Breeders’ Cup Turf Berth appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Susan Moulton's homebred 2-year-old colt Andthewinneris garnered a lot of attention when he rallied from 7 ¾ lengths off the early pace to break his maiden first time out by two lengths on the Keeneland turf course April 28.

Now, the precocious son of Oscar Performance is set to test dirt in the $175,000 Bashford Manor, a listed stakes, on Churchill Downs' closing day program on Monday, July 4.

Trained by Wayne Catalano, Andthewinneris was previously breezing on turf at Keeneland but arrived at Churchill Downs in early June to work over the dirt track.

“There were, and still are, a lot of options we had for him after he broke his maiden,” Catalano said. “I sent him over here to see how he'd handle this dirt course and he cruised (June 18) over this track (a half-mile in :46.80, the best of 156 at the distance). He worked :46 and change and galloped out really strong. We popped him out of the gate (Sunday) and just let him go easy (half-mile in :49.60) so he can feel what it's like to break out of the gate on the dirt. He's shown us a lot of promise when he won first out. Susan (Moulton) bred him and he's a really nice-looking colt.”

Andthewinneris earned a 79 Brisnet Speed Rating for his debut win victory in Lexington.

Andthewinneris, whose dam is Run Like the Boss, by Scat Daddy, has several turf progeny in the immediate family, but his third dam, Chilean-bred Santona, produced Grand Hombre, winner of the 2003 Pennsylvania Derby (G3) and runner-up in the Indiana Derby (G3).

The post ‘He’s Shown Us A Lot Of Promise’: Talented 2YO Maiden Winner Andthewinneris Aimed For First Dirt Start In Bashford Manor appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Willis Horton's Oaklawn Handicap (G2) winner Last Samurai completed his major preparation Sunday toward Saturday's $750,000 Stephen Foster (G2) but it was for new trainer D. Wayne Lukas instead of Dallas Stewart.

Last Samurai completed a five-furlong move at Churchill Downs in 1:01.40 at 7:30 a.m. (ET). The four-time winner had competed his 15 lifetime starts under the care of Stewart but was recently transferred to Lukas, along with several other of Horton's horses.

Last Samurai, a 4-year-old son of Malibu Moon, began his 2022 campaign with a seventh-place finish in the Razorback Handicap (G3) at Oaklawn. He finished second behind multiple stakes winner Lone Rock in the Temperance Hill prior to his 12-1 victory in the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap April 23 in his most recent start.

Saturday's 1 1/8-mile Stephen Foster looks to be headlined by multiple graded stakes winners Mandaloun and Olympiad.

Entries for the Stephen Foster will be taken Wednesday.

The post Stephen Foster Hopeful Last Samurai Tunes Up At Churchill After Transfer To Lukas appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Relaxed off the pace early, Tantrum took charge at the top of the stretch and romped to a commanding 7 ½-length triumph in the $75,000 Daniel Stearns Cleveland Gold Cup Saturday on the Ohio Derby (G3) undercard at JACK Thistledown.

A homebred for WinBlaze, the alliance between WinStar Farm in Central Kentucky and Blazing Meadows Farm in Ohio, Tantrum settled four wide in sixth of eight runners as Mr Loooch laid down a moderate tempo for six furlongs in 1:13.88.

Under Irad Ortiz Jr., Tantrum was eager to run entering the far turn of the 1 1/8-mile race and made the lead at the top of the stretch, dispatching Mr Loooch and runner-up Sammy's Smile to finish the trip unchallenged in 1:51.20. He returned $3.60 as the 4-5 favorite.

Sammy's Smile was three-quarters of a length in front of third-place finisher Mr Loooch.

Tantrum is an Ohio-bred 3-year-son of graded stakes winner Speightster, a top-five U.S. second-crop sire when he was euthanized earlier this year after fracturing a hind leg in stall at Northern Dawn Stables in Ontario where he was to stand the 2022 breeding season. The 10-year-old son of Speightstown had stood his first five seasons at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Kentucky.

Trained by Timothy Hamm, owner of Blazing Meadows Farm in North Jackson, Ohio, Tantrum won for the second time in five starts this year after capturing the Daryl E. Parker Memorial Tall Stack Stakes in May at Belterra Park.

In his start prior to the Cleveland Gold Cup, Tantrum was fourth in the Best of Ohio Carpet Stakes June 3 at Belterra. He won the Best of Ohio Juvenile Stakes in October at Mahoning Valley Race Course. With Saturday's win, his career record improved to 5-2-1 from 11 starts and $223,794 in earnings.

Tantrum's dam is the unraced Tiznow mare Go Go Tammy.

Last year, Hamm, WinStar, and Blazing Meadows Farm won the Cleveland Gold Cup with homebred Historically.

The post Favorite Tantrum Rolls To Open-Length Victory in Cleveland Gold Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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