Tag: Racing

At the peak of her game at age five, Bob Baffert trainee As Time Goes By heads a field of six older fillies and mares in Saturday's Grade 1, $500,000 Beholder Mile at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

A 13 ½ length winner of the G3 La Canada Stakes on Jan. 1, As Time Goes By took the G3 Bayakoa Stakes at Los Alamitos on Dec. 5 and thus seeks her third consecutive win as she shortens up half a furlong. Second in last year's Beholder Mile to eventual Eclipse Award winner Swiss Skydiver, As Time Goes By is a four-time graded stakes winner in search of her first Grade 1 victory.

A daughter of Baffert's 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah out of the Dehere mare Take Charge Lady, As Time Goes By has four wins and three seconds from seven Santa Anita starts. Owned by Michael Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier, As Time Goes by, who has an abundance of natural speed, is 13-6-3-1 overall with earnings of $655,600. She'll be ridden for the third consecutive time by leading man Flavien Prat.

The leading money earner in the field with $931,658, Envoutante will ship in from her Gulfstream Park base and try to give trainer Kenny McPeek his second consecutive Beholder win, as he was also the trainer of the great Swiss Skydiver.

A 5-year-old mare by Uncle Mo out of the Bluegrass Cat mare Enchante, Envoutante has been idle since executing a front-running six length score in the G2 Fall City Stakes over a sloppy track at Churchill Downs Nov. 25. Owned by Walking L Thoroughbreds, LLC and Three Chimneys Farm, she's a three-time graded stakes winner with an overall mark of 16-6-2-4.

Never off the board in her last nine starts, the Phil D'Amato-conditioned Miss Bigly was attentive to the pace and went on to a 1 ¼ length win going a mile and one sixteenth in Oaklawn Park's G3 Bayakoa Stakes Feb. 12 and will be ridden back by Oaklawn-based Ramon Vazquez on Saturday.

A 6-year-old mare by Gemologist out of the Citidancer mare Miss Puzzle, Miss Bigly will be making her 12th start for D'Amato. Owned by Agave Racing Stable, Living The Dream Stables LLC and Rockin Robin Racing Stables, Miss Bigly, who is five for eight at one mile, is 26-8-4-8 overall with earnings of $641,242.

THE GRADE 1 BEHOLDER MILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 11 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1. Varda—Juan Hernandez—120
2. Moonlight d'Oro—Mike Smith–120
3. As Time Goes By—Flavien Prat—122
4. Founder's Day—Ryan Curatolo–120
5. Miss Bigly—Ramon Vazquez—122
6. Envoutante—John Velazquez–122

Early first post time for an 11-race card on Saturday is at 12 noon with admission gates opening at 10 a.m.

The post McPeek Seeks Back-To-Back Beholder Mile Wins, Ships Envoutante For 2022 Edition appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Fresh off perhaps the best race of his career, C R K Stable's Express Train heads a field of eight older horses going 1 1/4 miles this Saturday in the 85th running of the Grade 1, $650,000 Santa Anita Handicap.

A gutty nose winner of the opening day G2 San Antonio Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Dec. 26, Express Train, a 5-year-old horse by Union Rags, put it all together in a rousing 3 ¼ length score in the G2 San Pasqual at 1 1/8 miles on Feb. 5. He goes in search of his third consecutive win for trainer John Shirreffs and jockey Victor Espinoza.

Second, beaten a half length in last year's Big 'Cap, Express Train was third in the 2021 Hollywood Gold Cup, and in his most recent attempt at 1 1/4 miles, finished a well beaten sixth as the 2-1 favorite four starts back on Aug. 21.

Second early while attentive to a hot early pace in the San Pasqual, Express Train overhauled Grade 1 winner Eight Rings leaving the quarter pole and shrugged off a determined challenge from runner-up Law Professor to win in manner that would suggest he may relish the Big 'Cap distance on Saturday.

“I think this was a little bit more difficult for him,” said Shirreffs, when asked to compare his 2021 San Pasqual score following this year's running. “There was a lot going on early with the fast pace…Nobody got to relax because (American Theorem) came up on the outside and wanted to force the pace so it was do or die time then. We're looking forward to the Big 'Cap.”

A four-time graded stakes winner still in search of his first Grade 1, Express Train, who is out of the Mineshaft mare I'm a Flake, is approaching millionaire status with an overall mark of 16-6-4-3 and earnings of $935,800.

A big third, beaten 4 ½ lengths by super horse Life Is Good as a 26-1 longshot in the G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park, owner Steve Moger's Stilleto Boy posted a Big 'Cap-best last-out Beyer Speed Figure of 104 and will likely press the early pace on Saturday.

Trained by Steve's brother Ed Moger, Stilleto Boy, a 4-year-old gelding by Shackleford, was a well beaten fifth in his only try at the Big 'Cap distance, three starts back in the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 6.

A sharp horse in the best form of his career, Stilleto Boy is 13-2-3-5 overall with earnings of $833,175.

Brad Cox, 2021 Eclipse Award Trainer of the Year, will be well represented by consistent Warrant, who comes off a third place finish to recently anointed Kentucky Derby winner Mandaloun in the G3 Louisiana Stakes Jan. 22 at Fairgrounds in New Orleans. Warrant will be making his second start of the year in the Big 'Cap.

A 4-year-old colt by Constitution owned and bred by Twin Creeks Farm, Warrant's lone graded stakes win came two starts back in the G3 Oklahoma Derby on Sept. 26 at Remington Park.

A promising Derby prospect a year ago, Bob Baffert's Spielberg, fourth beaten 6 ½ lengths by Express Train in the San Pasqual, will make his third start of the year as he tries 1 1/4 miles for the first time. Rallying impressively from off the pace to take a one-mile allowance by three lengths at Santa Anita on Jan. 14, Spielberg, a 4-year-old colt by Union Rags who is owned by SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC, et al, seeks his second graded stakes win and his fourth from what will be 12 overall starts.

Mike Smith seeks his fourth career Big 'Cap win aboard the George Papaprodromou-trained American Theorem, who although well beaten by Express Train in the San Pasqual, will likely show more early speed and looms a live longshot in his first try at 1 1/4 miles. Second behind Eight Rings in the G1 American Pharoah in his second start at age two, this 5-year-old American Pharoah ridgling was a sharp gate-to-wire allowance winner going 1 1/16 miles two starts back on Jan. 2.

Owned by Kretz Racing, LLC, American Theorem has two wins from eight starts.

Doug O'Neill and hot apprentice Diego Herrera will show up swinging with the sharp 4-year-old gelding Soy Tapatio, who has won his last two starts, both at 1 1/16 miles. A front-running 6 ¼ length maiden winner on Jan. 8, this 4-year-old gelding by the Giant's Causeway stallion Not This Time came back to rally from off the pace for a one-length allowance score on Feb. 18.

A bargain $5,000 Keeneland January Yearling, Soy Tapatio is owned by Mercado Racing, LLC. A longshot by any measure, he figures to be forwardly placed in his first stakes assignment. With two wins and as many thirds from six starts, Soy Tapatio has been assigned 116 pounds.

THE G1 SANTA ANITA HANDICAP WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 11 of 11 Approximate post time 5 p.m. PT

1. Spielberg—Abel Cedillo—118
2. Why Why Paul Why—Juan Hernandez—117
3. Warrant—Flavien Prat—121
4. Soy Tapatio—Diego Herrera—116
5. American Theorem—Mike Smith–116
6. Express Train—Victor Espinoza—124
7. Kiss Today Goodbye—Kyle Frey—118
8. Stilleto Boy—John Velazquez–121

Early first post time for an 11-race card on Saturday is at 12 noon.

The post Streaking Express Train Heads Field Of Eight For Saturday’s Santa Anita Handicap appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Undefeated in her four career starts, KHK Racing's Shahama will soon head to the United States for a try in the 2022 Kentucky Oaks, Dubai Racing TV's Michael Adolphson revealed on Twitter this weekend.

The 3-year-old daughter of Munnings, a half-sister to champion Lookin at Lucky, will be under the care of Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

Shahama's most recent victory came in the Grade 3 UAE Oaks at Meydan, in which she missed the break and circled the entire field before winning by two lengths. That win earned her 50 points toward a start in the Kentucky Oaks.

Trained in Dubai by Fawzi Nass, Shahama's other wins include the listed UAE 1,000 Guineas by 3 3/4 lengths and the UAE 1,000 Guineas Trial by 2 1/2 lengths.

Bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock, Shahama was purchased from consignor Eddie Woods at the OBS April sale of 2-year-olds in training for $425,000.

Undefeated G3 UAE Oaks and Listed UAE 1000 Guineas winner SHAHAMA is to be sent to America in 2 weeks' time to @PletcherRacing to prepare for a possible run in the G1 Kentucky Oaks @DerbyMedia, skipping the G2 UAE Derby. pic.twitter.com/PxwXvw0dSN

— Michael Adolphson (@AdolphsonRacing) February 26, 2022

The post Undefeated Shahama, Half-Sister To Lookin At Lucky, Headed To Todd Pletcher For Kentucky Oaks Try appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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The two-three finishers in Saturday's $20 million Saudi Cup, Country Grammer and Midnight Bourbon, will be staying in the Middle East to pursue bids in the Group 1 Dubai World Cup on March 26, according to the Daily Racing Form.

Country Grammer, a 5-year-old son of Tonalist trained by Bob Baffert, earned $3.5 million for his runner-up finish in Riyadh. Owned by WinStar Farm, Amr Zedan, and Commonwealth Racing Stables, the horse had won the G1 Hollywood Gold Cup in his most recent start before the Saudi Cup, and ran second off a layoff of over 250 days.

Co-owner Elliott Walden (WinStar) told DRF that Country Grammer “came out of the race in good shape” and was likely to join the WinStar and China Horse Club-owned Life is Good in Dubai.

Midnight Bourbon, the 4-year-old son of Tiznow conditioned by Steve Asmussen, ran very well to finish third and add just over $2 million to his career earnings. Owned by Winchell Thoroughbreds, Midnight Bourbon was beaten 1 1/2 lengths in Saudi Arabia and will also head on to Dubai.

In his most recent start prior to the Saudi Cup, Midnight Bourbon was just defeated by Juddmonte's Mandaloun. The Brad Cox-trained runner was favored in pari-mutuel pools for the Saudi Cup, but faded to finish ninth and will head back to the United States.

“Mandaloun will come home next week and regroup,” Juddmonte's Garrett O'Rourke told DRF. “No obvious excuse, but not enough confidence to move forward as we know he's much better than that.”

American-trained Art Collector, who ran 12th in the Saudi Cup, will also head back to the States. Meanwhile, his Bill Mott-trained stablemate Casa Creed will proceed to Dubai's Al Quoz Sprint after a big second-place effort in the 1351 Sprint.

Locally-trained hero Emblem Road won the Saudi Cup by a half-length, and could also be considered for the Dubai contest, according to post-race comments from connections. Also known to be pointing for the Dubai World Cup is the American-trained Hot Rod Charlie, who won a prep race in Dubai on Feb. 4.

Read more at the Daily Racing Form.

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