Tag: Racing

Making her first start since a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff, Shadwell Stable's Malathaat, the 3-year-old filly champion of 2021, was victorious in Friday's Grade 3 Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky.

Ridden by John Velazquez, the Curlin filly trained by Todd Pletcher covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.58, holding off another comebacker, Juddmonte's Bonny South (winner of the 2021 Doubledogdare), by three-quarters of a length. Super Quick and Lady Mystify finished another length back in a dead-heat for third. They were followed by Audrey's Time and Crazy Beautiful.

Winning for the seventh time in nine career starts, Malathaat paid $2.60 as the 1-5 favorite.

Bred in Kentucky By Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC and sold by consignor Denali Stud for $1,050,000 as a yearling, Malathaat was produced from the G1-winning A.P. Indy mare Dreaming of Julia. Malathaat won three G1 races – the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland, the Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs and the Alabama Stakes at Saratoga – en route to her Eclipse Award last year. Her only defeats came when second, beaten a head by Maracuja in the G1 Coaching Club America Oaks, and when third, beaten a half-length by Marche Lorraine in the Distaff.

Pletcher said Malathaat had a good freshening at Shadwell Farm after the Breeders' Cup and resumed training earlier this year at Palm Beach Downs in Florida. While he had the G1 La Troienne Stakes at Churchill Downs on May 6 as a backup plan for the filly's return, Pletcher said he hoped to race Malthaat over the Keeneland surface, not only because of her win in the Ashland but because this year's Breeders' Cup will be conducted there.

In the Doubledogdare, Malathaat broke from the inside post position, but Velazquez allowed her to drift well off the rail and four wide into the first turn as Super Quick and Lady Mystify battled on the front end for the opening quarter mile in :23.74. Lady Mystify and Flavien Prat opened up a sizable lead down the backstretch, clicking off a half-mile fraction in :46.89 and six furlongs in 1:11.75.

Malthaat was in fourth position, about nine lengths behind the leader, midway down the backstretch until Velazquez asked her for some run. She gained on the leader around the far turn and was on even terms with Lady Mystify at the top of the stretch. Malathaat took the advantage while racing on her left lead, covering the mile in 1:37.83, then switched to her right lead and easily held sway over Bonny South. The latter was last early, swung widest into the stretch and finished well in her first start since a second-place finish in the G2 Fall City Stakes at Churchill Downs last Nov. 25.

“We got to the backstretch and I kind of let her do her thing, getting her mind on her business,” Velazquez said of Malathaat, “but by the time we got to the three-eighths pole, I'm like, 'Man, now I'm too soon.' I got her out a little too quick. Down the lane I went to make her switch her lead and she got lost looking for the field. Then the other horse (Bonny South) got to her and she went on again, so it was very nice. We know when she gets to the lead she starts waiting, so it was a good comeback for her.”

“She was all class in the end,” said Pletcher.

Brad Cox, trainer of Bonny South, was not disappointed with the effort by the 5-year-old daughter of Munnings.

“That was a big effort; she ran well,” Cox said. “Very happy with her effort. This will set her up for, hopefully, a big year. And, hopefully, a Grade 1 because she has knocked on the door so many times that we feel like we have to win one. This was a good run off the (five-month) layoff and something we can build off of.”

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It's a clash of champions, times two.

Eclipse Award winners Letruska and Ce Ce meet for the first time in the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) Saturday at Oaklawn, a 1 1/16-mile blockbuster event for older fillies and mares that anchors a 12-race card.

The Apple Blossom goes as the fifth race, with probable post time 2:18 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at 12:10 p.m. The infield will be open. Mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the lows 80s are expected, according to weather.com.

Saturday's card also features the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses at 1 1/8 miles and the $150,000 Oaklawn Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles.

The Apple Blossom only drew five entrants, but it's a case of quality clearly trumping quantity.

Letruska won an Eclipse Award as the country's champion older dirt female of 2021. Ce Ce won an Eclipse Award as the country's champion female sprinter of 2021. Millionaire Grade 1 winner Clairiere was a finalist for an Eclipse Award as champion 3-year-old filly of 2021. A fourth entrant, Maracuja, is another Grade 1 winner.

“It's a small field, but it's got like a Breeders' Cup kind of feel to it,” said Rob Atras, who trains Maracuja.

Saturday's race will mark the first time that two Apple Blossom winners will meet in the Apple Blossom since it became a two-turn race for older fillies and mares in 1975. Ce Ce won the Apple Blossom in 2020. Letruska won the Apple Blossom, now among the country's signature two-turn events for older fillies and mares, in 2021.

Ce Ce or Letruska can become just the fourth horse to capture multiple runnings of the Apple Blossom, following Hall of Famers Paseana (1992, 1993), Azeri (2002, 2003, 2004) and Zenyatta (2008 and 2010).

Trained by Fausto Gutierrez, Letruska recorded her breakout victory nationally in last April's Apple Blossom when she edged two-time Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl by a nose. Letruska rode that momentum to three more Grade 1 victories and was a runaway selection in voting for an Eclipse Award.

“I think it's a very different race than last year,” Gutierrez said after watching Letruska train Thursday morning at Oaklawn. “Again, it's a short field, but now we have the pressure of being the favorite. But it's pressure that we want. Monomoy (Girl) ran and we had the good luck to cross in front first. That's when you understand the difference in a nose at the end of the race. Now, I think we have the obligation to come back here and try for back-to-back Apple Blossoms. It would be fantastic.”

The projected five-horse Apple Blossom field from the rail out: Maracuja, Ricardo Santana Jr. to ride, 119 pounds; 6-1 on the morning line; Letruska, Jose Ortiz, 124, 7-5; Clairiere, Joel Rosario, 121, 5-2; Miss Imperial, Tiago Pereira, 115, 12-1; and Ce Ce, Victor Espinoza, 121, 2-1.

The speedy Letruska was based this winter and early spring in south Florida, where she opened her 6-year-old campaign with a front-running three-length victory in the $150,000 Royal Delta Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 26 at Gulfstream Park. Letruska was racing for the first time since finishing a leg-weary 10th in the $2 million Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at 1 1/8 miles Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Letruska's only other loss in a grueling eight-race cross-country 2021 campaign was a runner-up finish in the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles, Oaklawn's final major prep for the Apple Blossom.

Letruska does her best work on the front end and appears to be the controlling speed again Saturday.

“It's a short field on numbers, but a big field on quality,” Gutierrez said. “All the ones have a very clear style of running. In our case, we follow the only style we know – it is to let her run. It depends on the rhythm of the race and how Jose Ortiz decides to ride. Now that she's 6 years old, I think everybody knows how she runs. We'll see, but she's in good form.”

A daughter of Super Saver, Letruska has an 18-1-1 record from 24 lifetime starts and earnings of $2,348,529.

Southern California-based Ce Ce returns to Oaklawn after employing stalk-and-pounce tactics to win the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles March 12 for trainer Michael McCarthy and breeder/owner Bo Hirsch. The Azeri marked Ce Ce's return to two-turn races after concentrating on sprints for most of 2021. Ce Ce secured an Eclipse Award with a victory in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at 7 furlongs Nov. 6 at Del Mar.

Ce Ce has four published works at Santa Anita since the Azeri, including a 5-furlong bullet drill in :58 April 9.

“I think she's got a good post position, drawn outside, in a five-horse field,” McCarthy said Thursday night. “Good horses always set honest fractions, so I think they'll be a pace up front. Just try to tuck in and I hope everybody turns up the backside in a spot they want to be in and let the best horse win from there.”

Ce Ce figures to be stalking Letruska and the hope, McCarthy said, is she doesn't get loose through soft fractions.

“Certainly, it's a concern,” McCarthy said. “But I'm not trading places with anybody, win, lose or draw on Saturday. I don't trade places with anyone.”

Ce Ce has a 9-2-3 record from 18 lifetime starts and earnings of $2,003,100.

Late-running Clairiere makes her Oaklawn debut after toying with allowance runners in her 4-year-old debut at 1 1/16 miles March 16 at Fair Grounds for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. Clairiere closed her 2021 campaign with a fourth-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Distaff, beaten only three-quarters of a length after a wide trip.

“Don't want to trade places with anybody,” Asmussen said. “Promise.”

Clairiere won her 4-year-old debut by 6 ½ lengths. It was her first start on Lasix and first time to be ridden by Joel Rosario, the 2021 Eclipse Award winner as the country's most outstanding jockey.

“That was good,” Rosario said. “First time back since the big race she ran in last time. She kind of did that on her own. It was an easy race for her. Just trying to play it that way and she had a nice trip.”

Maracuja, another late runner, has been training at Oaklawn since early January and exits a sharp two-length allowance victory at 1 1/16 miles April 1 in her 4-year-old debut.

Maracuja recorded her biggest career victory to date in the $500,000 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) for 3-year-old fillies last July at Saratoga, toppling, among others, eventual Eclipse Award winner Malathaat and Clairiere.

The April 1 comeback race was Maracuja's first start against older horses and first start since a fourth-place finish behind Clairiere in the $1 million Cotillion Stakes (G1) for 3-year-old fillies Sept. 25 at Parx.

“It's kind of a funny situation,” Atras said. “It's early in the year and you've got Letruska – she kind of had her prep race for it (Apple Blossom), which was a walk in the park and she looked awesome doing it. Then, Clairiere had the same kind of thing. She looked very dominant in her race. We kind of had our prep and we weren't quite as dominant as those two, but we were at the back of the pack and made a good run and we were probably a little short, anyways. Everyone's kind of early in the year, in their form. Everyone's coming off a win, so they all look like they're in top form at this point. We're going to have to step up to beat them.”

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After narrowly missing in last year's edition, Fearless has been installed the 5-2 program favorite for the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses Saturday at Oaklawn.

Probable post time for the 1 1/8-mile Oaklawn Handicap, which goes as the 11th of 12 races, is 5:41 p.m. (Central). Racing begins at 12:10 p.m. The infield will be open because of expected pleasant weather. Saturday's card also features the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles and the $150,000 Oaklawn Stakes for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles.

The projected eight-horse Oaklawn Handicap field from the rail out: Beau Luminarie, Florent Geroux to ride, 117 pounds, 12-1 on the morning line; Thomas Shelby, David Cohen, 117, 8-1; Last Samurai, Jon Court, 117, 8-1; Idol, Ramon Vazquez, 119, 6-1; Rated R Superstar, Ricardo Santana Jr., 120, 5-1; Plainsman, Joel Rosario, 121, 5-2; Super Stock, Isaac Castillo, 118, 10-1; and Fearless, Jose Ortiz, 121, 9-5.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Fearless exits a six-length victory in the $100,000 Ghostzapper Stakes (G3) at 1 1/8 miles April 2 at Gulfstream Park. Fearless finished second, beaten a half-length by future Grade 1 winner Silver State, in last year's Oaklawn Handicap.

Pletcher is seeking his third Oaklawn victory after winning in 2007 with future Eclipse Award winner Lawyer Ron and 2015 with Race Day.

The local contingent includes millionaire multiple Grade 3 winner Plainsman for two-time reigning Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox and owner John Ed Anthony of Hot Springs (Shortleaf Stable). The Oaklawn Handicap could be the final career Oaklawn start for Plainsman, who is scheduled to begin a stallion career in 2023 in Kentucky.

Plainsman, a 7-year-old son of Flatter, has overcome physical ailments, specifically, feet, to bankroll $1,303,207 in his 29-race career. His resume includes a neck victory over Thomas Shelby in the $600,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 12 and a runner-up finish behind Rated R Superstar in the $500,000 Essex Handicap (G3) at 1 1/16 miles March 19. Both races were major local preps for the Oaklawn Handicap.

“He's a tough horse,” Cox said. “He's a very tough horse. But he's also been a very high-maintenance horse and took a very long time, obviously, to get him back to graded-stake level. I think people forget this horse won the (Grade 3) Discovery at 3, which is now three-plus years ago. For him to return to graded-stake company last year and this year just tells you how good of a horse he really is and his quality and class and determination. He's a good horse, he really is. Classy horse.”

Late-running Rated R Superstar also is a millionaire multiple Grade 3 winner for trainer Federico Villafranco and four-time Oaklawn leading owner Danny Caldwell.

A 9-year-old gelding, Rated R Superstar is in the best form of his career after capturing the $150,000 Fifth Season Stakes Jan. 15 and rolling to a 2 ¼-length victory in the Essex in his last start. Santana, an eight-time Oaklawn riding champion, inherits the mount Saturday because of an injury to David Cabrera.

“I think there's going to be plenty of pace in the race and he needs that,” Villafranco said. “I know he's been closing really nice at a mile and a sixteenth. A mile and an eighth is completely different.”

Thomas Shelby's quest for his first career stakes victory continues after finishing second in the $200,000 Tinsel at 1 1/8 miles Dec. 18, third in the Fifth Season at 1 mile, second in the Razorback and fourth in the Essex earlier in the meeting for 2020 Oaklawn training champion Robertino Diodoro.

Like Plainsman, Thomas Shelby has speed and figures to again be a forward factor early Saturday.

“I keep saying he deserves to win one of these,” Diodoro said. “I really do like a mile and an eighth a lot better. I just think it's better for him because they're not going to go quite as quick. He's doing great. You're always worried that the horse is getting tired, but he's training like a frigging monster.”

Super Stock recorded his biggest career victory to date in last year's $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Another Grade 1 winner, Idol, will be making his first start since finishing a well-beaten sixth in the $300,000 Awesome Again Stakes (G1) at 1 1/8 miles Oct. 2 at Santa Anita for Southern California-based trainer Richard Baltas.

A hind-end problem has limited Idol to just seven lifetime starts. But the 5-year-old son of Curlin won the $400,000 Santa Anita Handicap (G1) at 1 ¼ miles in March 2021 at Santa Anita and set a 1 3/16-mile track record (1:55.97) in a November 2020 allowance race at Churchill Downs.

Baltas said he considered several other races for Idol's comeback, notably the $300,000 Ben Ali Stakes (G3) at 1 1/8 miles Saturday at Keeneland, $200,000 Californian Stakes (G2) at 1 1/8 miles April 30 at Santa Anita and the $500,000 Alysheba Stakes (G2) at 1 1/16 miles May 6 at Churchill Downs, before opting for the Oaklawn Handicap.

“I thought this race would probably be better,” Baltas said. “It's a lot of money and he's ready. I think he's ready to run.”

Idol, who adds Lasix, figures to be tracking Thomas Shelby and Plainsman under Vazquez, the horse's new rider.

“They can go duke it out,” Baltas said. “We're going to be running late. He takes a little more time to get going. He's got such a big, long stride. He's very smooth and covers a lot of ground.”

The consistent Beau Luminarie – first, second or third in 18 of 20 lifetime starts – exits a third behind Rated R Superstar and Plainsman in the Essex for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. Beau Luminarie was making his first start since finishing third in the Tinsel.

“We were anxious to see how he would run, just because when you give the older horses the layoff like this, you never know how they are going to perform,” Brisset said. “I think he showed us what we wanted to see. He was a close third. He came flying.”

Last Samurai cuts back to 1 1/8 miles after finishing second, beaten a neck by millionaire multiple Grade 2 winner Lone Rock, in the $150,000 Temperence Hill Stakes at 1 ½ miles April 3 for trainer Dallas Stewart.

Lone Rock, also trained by Diodoro, edged Thomas Shelby by three-quarters of a length in the Tinsel.

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