Tag: Racing

The lone California-bred in the field, Nick Alexander's Alice Marble stalked the early leaders and came away nicely a furlong out to take Saturday's $75,000 Wishing Well Stakes at Santa Anita by a half length.  Trained by Phil D'Amato and ridden by Edwin Maldonado, the 5-year-old mare by Grazen got 6 ½ furlongs out of the turf chute at the Arcadia, Calif., track in 1:15.45.

Three quarters of a length behind speedy Dynasty of Her Own three furlongs from home, Alice Marble was in the middle of a three-horse spread that was bracketed by race favorite Hear My Prayer on the outside turning for home and 'Alice' proved best on the day, holding off the late charge of Stella Noir at the wire.

“This filly has never looked so good,” said D'Amato, who registered his fifth stakes win of the meet.  “She's all dappled out and I just think she's thriving right now.  I thought with the right trip, she'd be sitting on a big race and Edwin did a beautiful job.”

Second to her front-running stablemate Leggs Galore going about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf course in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint Jan. 15, Alice Marble was off as the 5-2 third choice in a field of six older fillies and mares and paid $7.80.

“Phil just told me that she was a very tactical filly and asked me if I had watched a couple of her replays, and of course I did,” said Maldonado, who was aboard for the first time today.  “My game plan was to sit behind the three (Dynasty of Her Own) and I knew the seven (Hear My Prayer) was probably going to go tackle the three…I wanted to be behind the seven, behind both of them…

“She had a little speed out of the gate so I didn't want to take her back to go around the seven and it just worked out beautifully.  I thought we were going pretty quick honestly.  It didn't feel slow.  I felt like we were going pretty good.  I just want to thank Phil for this win and also Nick Alexander.”

Owned and bred by Alexander and out of his More Than Ready mare Unsung Heroine, Alice Marble registered her first career stakes win and her fourth win from nine overall starts.  With the winner's share of $61,620 ($13,500 of which was from the California-bred incentive fund), Alice Marble increased her earnings to $221,180.

Ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, Stella Noir saved ground around the turn, awaited room in upper stretch was gaining gradually on the winner late.  Off at 5-1, shefinished 1 ¼ lengths in front of Spirit of Bermuda.

Last after the first half mile, about four lengths off the lead, Irish-bred Spirit of Bermuda tagged Dynasty of Her Own by a neck for third money under Tyler Baze.

Fractions on the race were 24.05, 46.29 and 1:09.35.

First post time for an eight-race card on Sunday is at 12:30 p.m.

The post Alice Marble Rolls To Victory In Santa Anita’s Wishing Well appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Briland Farm's homebred Secret Oath stamped herself as a filly to watch for either the Kentucky Oaks (G1) or the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) this spring with her eye-catching 7 ½-length victory in the $300,000 Honeybee Stakes (G3) on Saturday at Oaklawn Park.

The win was the third straight for the daughter of Arrogate who is trained by Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas. She earned 50 points toward eligibility in the Kentucky Oaks, to run May 6, a secured a spot in the race, which is limited to 14 starters. Lukas has won the Oaks four times previously, most recently in 1990 with Seaside Attraction. He has four Kentucky Derby wins, including with filly Winning Colors in 1988.

Lukas was so impressed with Secret Oath's Honeybee win he said she could be possible for either the Arkansas Derby (G1) later at the Oaklawn meet or the Run for the Roses.

“She's nominated (for the Arkansas Derby) and the Kentucky Derby,” Lukas said. “You know what's really good here? The thing that I'm most happy about is that (Oaklawn) has changed from (three) weeks in front of the Kentucky Derby to five. Boy, if you're training a good filly, that's another little caveat that I like. I like it if I have a colt. I like that five-week break. But if you have a filly, you'd have to say, 'Wow!' You're going to get a little extra time.”

Secret Oak, the heavy favorite, broke last of six and raced three wide early as Optionality set fractions of :23 and :47 for the first half mile, while being pressed hard by Yuugiri. Secret Oath moved into a stalking position down backstretch and after encountering traffic around the final turn, found a seam along the rail and quickly took control of the race. She drew well clear of runner-up Ice Orchid, who received 20 Kentucky Oaks points, to complete the 1 1/16 mile race in 1:44 3/5 over a fast track.

“I loved that acceleration,” Lukas said. “When she decides to leave them, she leaves them. Wow!”

Jockey Luis Contreras said he got a great break and good position.

“I just sat right behind and at (the three-eighths pole), she tried to pull me again. I just waited and waited. My thinking was to go outside, but I had another horse right there, so I stayed a little longer. When I saw the rail open and asked her to go, she made a tremendous move.

The post Favorite Secret Oath Wows Lukas With Honeybee Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Unheralded Saudi Arabia-based runner Emblem Road, a son of Central Kentucky sire Quality Road, snatched the richest Thoroughbred race ever staged, the $20 million Saudi Cup (G1) Feb. 26 at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh.

A deafening crescendo climaxed in joy and near disbelief as jockey Wigberto Ramos coaxed Emblem Road down the center of the track for a half-length win from United States-based runners Country Grammer, second, and Midnight Bourbon, third.

For Saudi Arabian racing, the result was extraordinary. Four-year-old Emblem Road, had only raced in Saudi Arabia, where he was taking his record to eight wins from 11 starts. He is trained by Mitab Almulawah and carried the white and blue silks of Prince Saud bin Salman Abdulaziz.

Fast early fractions were set by Secret Ambition and Art Collector. Close-up in the early running were last year's winner Mishriff, caught wide and ultimately finishing last, and Mandaloun, recently elevated to victory in the 2021 Kentucky Derby (G1). But one by one the challengers melted away, including Mandaloun, who was ninth. Japanese champion T O Keynes could not add to the incredible haul of four wins by his compatriots earlier in the evening, finishing eighth in the 14-horse field, nor could Japanese star mare Marche Lorraine, upset winner of the 2021 Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1), who was sixth.

With Panamanian-born rider Ramos aboard, Emblem Road stalked the early pace in midfield before collaring Country Grammer inside the final 50 meters to cue one of the greatest shocks—and celebrations—ever seen in Saudi racing.

Kentucky-bred Emblem Road, who is out of the Bernardini mare Venturini, covered 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.52 and returned $229.

The post Saudi-Based Longshot Emblem Road Upsets Saudi Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Ed Moger Jr. seeks the biggest win of his career March 5 at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

Infatuated with racing at a young age, he began training in 1976 and has been successful while maintaining a low profile in both Northern and Southern California for nearly half a century.

But with more than 1,900 career victories, the man knows how to win.

Saturday at Santa Anita, Moger will try to capture the track's historic marquee race for older horses, the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap presented by Yaamava' Resort & Casino, with an industrious 4-year-old that to date has tackled the game's elite yet remains beneath racing's radar.

The horse is Stilleto Boy, owned by Ed's younger brother, Steve, 58, who bought the gelding with the highest bid of $420,000 last July at the Fasig-Tipton Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale.

With only two wins but three seconds and five thirds from 13 starts, Stilleto Boy has rewarded the Mogers' confidence, with career earnings of $833,175.

The chestnut son of Shackleford would seem to have more than a longshot's chance in the mile and a quarter classic, as he has been chasing the likes of A-List horses Knicks Go, Life Is Good, Medina Spirit and Flightline.

“He's doing really good,” said Moger, who sent Stilleto Boy five furlongs Saturday morning in 1:02 under Juan Hernandez. Stilleto Boy went in company with stablemate Gotham Desire who received an identical clocking. “Knock on wood, everything's great,” Moger said.

“I think he'll benefit from the mile and a quarter. He ran well at that distance in the Breeders' Cup (Classic, finishing fifth behind front-running winner and eventual Horse of the Year Knicks Go), but the race was just too tough for him.”

Beaten 3 ¼ lengths by victorious Life Is Good and a length by runner-up Knicks Go last out in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park, Stilleto Boy did not have the smoothest trip in the mile and one eighth race.

“I was with him when he came back from Florida,” said Moger, “and he seemed tired, so I planned to just walk him for a couple weeks.

“But after about four days, we had to get him back to the track. He was tearing the barn down, so he's doing really good.”

A native of Lakeland, Fla., who turns 66 on April 5, Moger started his career as a groom for trainer Jay Mills while attending the University of Washington in the mid-1970's.

All these years later he's a multiple graded stakes-winning trainer with career earnings over $29 million, but nothing would be sweeter than putting a victory cap on it – a Big 'Cap victory.

The post Moger Looking For Big Things From Stilleto Boy In Big ‘Cap appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post