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Cafe Pharoah To Defend G1 February Stakes Title, Aim For Berth In The Classic

Defending champion Cafe Pharoah and multiple graded-stakes winner Red le Zele (JPN) headline 16 runners entered for Sunday's US$2.25 million February Stakes (Group 1) at Tokyo Racecourse, with the winner receiving the first automatic berth into this year's US$6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series.

Now in its 15^th season, the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, on Nov. 4-5.

The February Stakes, run at 1 mile on dirt, will be televised live on TVG at 10:40 p.m. PT on Saturday, Feb. 19.

The 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar was historic for Japanese racing when Loves Only You (JPN) in the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and Marche Lorraine (JPN) in the Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) became the first two Japanese based horses to win races at the World Championships. Last week, Loves Only You became the first Japanese horse to win a North American Eclipse Award, as she was voted the Champion Female Turf honor.

In 2015 at Keeneland, U.S. Triple Crown winner American Pharoah won the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic to close out a brilliant career. Last year, Koichi Nishikawa's Cafe Pharoah became the first son of American Pharoah to win a Graded/Group 1 race on dirt, when he captured the February Stakes by three-quarters of a length over Air Spinel (JPN) as the 2-1 favorite.

Trained by Noriyuki Hori, Cafe Pharoah, bred in Kentucky by the late Paul Pompa, is unbeaten in three starts at Tokyo, including the Unicorn Stakes (G3) in 2020 and the listed Hyacinth Stakes. Cafe Pharoah went winless in three starts following his February Stakes win, including an 11^th-place finish in the 1 1/8-mile Champions Cup (G1) at Chukyo on Dec. 5. Now a 5-year-old, Cafe Pharoah, a winner of five races in 10 starts, will be making his 2022 debut on Sunday. Yuichi Fukunaga has the mount, breaking from post six.

“He came back to the stable on January 13, and that's been the usual pattern with him, returning early from the farm,” said Hori to the Japan Racing Association website. “About two weeks ago he worked smoothly, without moving his head around and playing with the bit, and ran well right up to the end.”

Tokyo Horse Racing Co. Ltd.'s 6-year-old Red le Zele, fourth in last year's race, has eight wins in 19 starts, including his final race of last year, the 7-furlong JBC Sprint at Kanazawa on Nov. 3. Trainer Takayuki Yasuda, who won the February Stakes with Transcend (JPN) in 2011 and Grape Brandy (JPN) in 2013, feels that Red le Zele's recent win is a sign of more good things to come.

“It was a bold run last time, when he got a clear run up the inside, where the dirt was deep, to win impressively,” said Yasuda to JRA. “He has been at the farm since, but this has been his target, and things have been fine with him. He is the type that's good in winter.”

Last January, Red le Zele won the Negishi Stakes (G3) at Tokyo, and after the February Stakes the son of Lord Kanaloa (JPN) finished second in the six-furlong Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1) at Meydan. He finished third in the Tokyo Hai at Ohi on Oct. 6 prior to his win in the JBC Sprint. Yuga Kawada will ride Red le Zele, starting from post five.

One of two fillies in the field is Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co.'s 4-year-old homebred Sodashi (JPN), who defeated Loves Only You in last year's Sapporo Kinen (G2) by three-quarters of a length. Noted for her distinctive white color, Sodashi, trained by Naosuke Sugai, won her first five races, including the Oka Sho (Japanese 1000 Guineas) (G1) at Tokyo last April. After an eighth-place finish in the Yushun Himba (Japanese Oaks) (G1), the daughter of Kurofune rebounded with her win in the 1 ¼-mile Sapporo Kinen against older horses in August. However, her next two starts were disappointing. She finished 10^th as the 9-5 favorite in the 1 ¼-mile Shuka Sho (G1) at Hanshin in October, and making her first start on dirt, finished 12^th in the Champions Cup after leading the field through the top of the stretch. Breaking from post 11, Sodashi will be ridden by Hayato Yoshida.

“In recent training, she's been showing plenty of power, particularly at the finish,” said Sugai to JRA. “She just wasn't able to keep things going in the Shuka Sho and Champions Cup last year, but I'm pleased enough with the way she's been moving recently, and running on dirt seems suitable for her.”

In January, Masatsuga Takezono's 5-year-old T M South Dan (JPN) came from off the pace to win the seven-furlong Negishi Stakes (G3) by a length and earned his ninth win in 18 starts. Trained by Yuzo Iida, T M South Dan also won two seven-furlong sprints last year, taking the Tele Tama Hai Oval Sprint in September and the Hyogo Gold Trophy at Sonoda in December. T M South Dan will be ridden by Yasunari Iwata from post 15.

NICKS Co. Ltd.'s 7-year-old Suave Aramis (JPN) has also notched a win this year, taking the 1 1/8-mile Tokai TV Hai Tokai Stakes (G2) by a half-length at Chukyo on Jan 23. Trained by Naosuke Sugai and ridden from post 10 by Daisaku Matsuda, Suave Aramis captured one race in 2021, registering a half-length win in the Elm Stakes (G3) at Hakodate last August.

Minoru Murakami's Soliste Thunder (JPN) was favored in last month's Negishi Stakes, but did not make a serious bid and finished ninth of 16 runners. A 7-year-old son of Toby's Corner, trained by Daisuke Takayanagi, Soliste Thunder won the Tokyo Chunichi Sports Hai Musashino Stakes (G3) prior to the Negishi. Keita Tosaki will ride from post 13.

Last year's runner-up, Lucky Field Co. Ltd.'s 9-year-old Air Spinel, finished second to Soliste Thunder in the Musashino Stakes. A four-time winner, trained by Kazuhide Sasada and ridden from post 16 by Mirco Demuro, Air Spinel closed out 2021 with a ninth-place finish in the Champions Cup.

Koichiro Yamaguchi's 7-year-old Arctos (JPN) is a 10-time winner, who won his last two races of 2021, taking the Sakitama Hai at Urawa in June and the Mile Championship Nambu Hai in October at Morioka. Trained by Toru Kurita, Arctos finished ninth in last year's February Stakes as the 4-1 second choice. Arctos will be ridden by Hironobu Tanabe from post four.

Also of interest is Shigeo Takeda's homebred Inti (JPN), who won the 2019 February Stakes for trainer Kenji Nonaka. The 8-year-old son of Came Home finished 14^th in the 2020 edition and was sixth in last year's race. Inti will be ridden by Yutaka Take, a five-time February Stakes winner, from post three.

As a part of the benefits of the Challenge series, the Breeders' Cup will pay the pre-entry and entry fees for the winner of the February Stakes to start in the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. Breeders' Cup will also provide a US$40,000 travel allowance for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the Championships. The Challenge winner must be nominated to the Breeders' Cup program by the pre-entry deadline of Oct. 24 to receive the rewards.

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‘I Think She’s Ready’: Champ Letruska On Target For Feb. 26 Royal Delta

St. George Stable LLC's Letruska breezed five furlongs Friday morning at Palm Meadows Training Center in preparation for a scheduled start in the $150,000 Royal Delta (G3) Feb. 26 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The 6-year-old daughter of Super Saver, honored with an Eclipse Award as the nation's champion older dirt female in 2021, was timed in 1:00.40 at Gulfstream Park's satellite training center in Palm Beach County. The breeze, which was the fifth fastest of 18 recorded at the distance, followed three straight bullet workouts.

“She breezed very good. I think that she's ready,” said trainer Fausto Gutierrez, who reported that his star trainee galloped out a mile in 1:45.

Letruska, who is 3-for-3 over Gulfstream's main track, captured the Rampart (G3) during the 2020-2021 Championship Meet, setting the tone for her remarkable 2021 championship campaign. The St. George Stable homebred went on to win four Grade 1 stakes, including the Apple Blossom, Ogden Phipps, Spinster and Personal Ensign.

The Kentucky-bred mare, who was undefeated in five starts in Mexico before venturing to Gulfstream Park for the 2019 Clasico del Caribe program, finished a disappointing 10th as the favorite in the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Distaff (G1) at Del Mar.

“After 13 months travel, maybe she wasn't the same horse,” Gutierrez said. “I'm very happy with her. She's had six weeks in Ocala and came back very strong and very happy.”

Letruska is scheduled to school in the paddock and walking ring during Race 2 on Saturday's program.

Letruska tops the list of 12 nominations for the Royal Delta, which includes the Kenny McPeek trained duo of Crazy Beautiful, who captured last year's Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), and Envoutante, who is scheduled to run in the March 5 Beholder at Santa Anita. The McPeek fillies breezed five furlongs in 1:00.62 Friday morning at Gulfstream.

Graded stakes-placed Allworthy, who finished third in this season's Rampart and second in a Tampa stakes for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.; Antonio Sano-trained Don't Get Khozy, second in the Rampart; Rob Atras-trained Battle Bling, winner of the Ladies at Aqueduct last time out; and Patrick Biancone-trained Kelsey's Cross, a multiple graded stakes-placed veteran; are also nominated.

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Barraza, Beer Can Man Face Off In Downhill San Simeon At Santa Anita

Holly and David Wilson's Barraza will be seeking his fourth consecutive win as he heads a solid field of eight older horses going about 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita's hillside turf course in Arcadia, Calif., in Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 San Simeon Stakes. Carded as race eight, the San Simeon will serve as the penultimate event in Sunday's 20 cent Rainbow Pick 6 Jackpot.

With a mandatory payout in place, track officials project Sunday's total Rainbow 6 pool could exceed $5 million.

In what promises to be a very competitive race, Beer Can Man, who comes off a nose defeat in a Grade 2 stakes going 6 ½ furlongs out of Santa Anita's turf chute, retains the services of leading man Flavien Prat and should be extremely tough in what will be his first start down the hill.

Idle since third in a six-furlong turf sprint in Kentucky Sept. 11, Richard Mandella's 9-year-old gelding Bombard is three for five over the course and has proven effective fresh.

Third, beaten 1 ½ lengths by Beer Can Man in his U.S. debut, Hronis Racing's French-bred Bran will hope to improve as he makes his second start for John Sadler.

Second best to the Vladimir Cerin-trained Barraza in the restricted Clockers' Corner Stakes going six furlongs on Jan. 22, Ruben Alvarado's French-bred Commander is unbeaten in his only hillside try and figures to be rallying from off the pace.

In an unexpected change in tactics, Barraza went to the lead in the Clockers' Corner and galloped by 2 ¼ lengths as the even-money favorite under Kent Desormeaux, who had ridden the 4-year-old colt by Into Mischief in his last seven starts.

With Desormeaux out of action, John Velazquez takes the call for Barraza, who is unbeaten in two hillside starts, on Oct. 31 and again two starts back on Jan. 2. On both of those occasions, he rallied impressively from off the pace, which certainly provides Velazquez with options on Sunday.

Out of the multiple stakes winning Halo Dolly, by Popular, Barraza was claimed out of a maiden $100,000 claimer nine starts back on April 11 and is unquestionably at the top of his game now. As he bids for his second consecutive stakes win and fourth victory in a row, Barraza has an overall mark of 12-4-1-2 and has earnings of $197,700.

Second, beaten a nose by Eastern invader Chewing Gum in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes Jan. 1, Beer Can Man has been the very definition of consistency for owners Little Red Feather Racing and Madaket Stables. A winner of two out of his four starts for his original connections at age two in Indiana, Beer Can Man, a 4-year-old colt by the Into Mischief stallion Can the Man, won his very first start in Southern California, the Grade 3 Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar on Nov. 29, 2020.

First or second five times and once third in his next six starts, Beer Can Man, who will be making his first start for Phil D'Amato, brings an overall mark of 11-5-3-1 to the San Simeon. Originally trained by Mark Glatt, Beer Can Man, who is out of the Dynaformer mare Cheesecake, has earnings of $323,556.

Idle since third in a Grade 3 turf sprint going six furlongs Sept. 11 at Kentucky Downs, the Raydeiz Stable homebred Bombard, who is by War Front, showed plenty of spunk at age eight last year, winning the Grade 3 Daytona Handicap going 6 ½ furlongs out of Santa Anita's turf chute two starts back on May 29 and finishing a close second in his first start of 2021 going six furlongs in a turf allowance here April 25.

With regular rider Prat opting for Barraza, Bombard, who is 19-6-6-3 overall with earnings of $552,771, will be ridden for the first time by Juan Hernandez as he seeks his second graded win and his third overall stakes victory.

A winner of four of his 13 starts in his native France, 4-year-old gelding Bran drifted out turning for home and through the lane while finishing third, beaten 1 ½ lengths in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes Jan. 1 and is certainly eligible to improve with Joe Bravo riding him back on Sunday. Raced exclusively on grass throughout his career, he brings an overall mark of 14-4-2-3.

Second, beaten 2 ¼ lengths by Barraza in the Clockers' Corner Stakes Jan. 22, Commander, a 5-year-old gelding who is owned by Sinnott Family Trust and was haltered 16 starts back for $50,000, will be seeking his first graded stakes victory on Sunday with Umberto Rispoli up. Ridden in the Clockers' Corner by Prat, Rispoli has finished second twice in three tries with Commander, dating back to head defeat to Beer Can Man three races back on Nov. 7 at Del Mar.

Trained by Ruben Alvarado, Commander rallied impressively to win his only hillside start, a second condition allowance four races back on Oct. 2, by two lengths. With an overall mark of 22-5-7-2, he has earnings of $251,475.

GRADE III SAN SIMEON WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS
IN POST POSITION ORDER

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

Chaos Theory—Edwin Maldonado—120
Commander—Umberto Rispoli—120
Barraza—John Velazquez—122
Beer Can Man—Flavien Prat—124
Guildsman—Drayden Van Dyke—120
Bran—Joe Bravo—120
Bombard—Juan Hernandez—122
Indian Peak—Abel Cedillo—122

First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 12:30 p.m. Admission gates will open at 10:30 a.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Schedule For Horseshoe Indianapolis Includes 38 Thoroughbred Stakes; Indiana Derby Moves To A Saturday Card

A total of 38 Thoroughbred stakes races offering more than $4.6 million in purses will be featured during the 2022 racing season at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The 20^th year of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse action gets underway Tuesday, April 19 highlighted by the 28^th running of the Grade 3 Indiana Derby Saturday, July 9.

The $300,000-guaranteed Indiana Derby, Indiana's richest race, will be joined by seven other stakes on the Saturday, July 9 racing program, including the G3 $200,000-guaranteed Indiana Oaks. A total of $1.1 million in stakes purses will be showcased on the late afternoon card.

“The past two years, we have held the Indiana Derby on Wednesdays, which has appealed to our national audience and as a result, we set two consecutive track records for handle,” said Eric Halstrom, vice president and general manager of racing. “By moving the event back to a Saturday, we hope it will provide a balance with our national followers along with our on-track customers who have historically packed our venue for the event. The Indiana Derby has a great appeal to spectators and has been tagged as one of the biggest summer sporting events in Central Indiana.”

Horseshoe Indianapolis will also feature the third Indiana Champions Day Saturday, Oct. 29. The event will showcase 10 stakes combined by Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing. Included on the program will be the $250,000 Unreachable Star Stakes and the $250,000 Lady Fog Horn Stakes for Indiana sired horses.

Indiana sired and bred horses will also get a boost with elevated purses in the $250,000 Governor's Stakes and the $200,000 Indiana First Lady Stakes. The races are slated for Wednesday, Aug. 3.

“The Indiana Thoroughbred program has boosted several of their races this season with more purse money,” said Chris Polzin, director of racing. “We have switched a few of the stakes around to spread them out during our 127-day racing season. This should better accommodate our horsemen and our retail simulcasting signal, and I believe we have a good balance of stakes from start to finish for our 2022 racing season.”

Indiana's richest turf races, the $150,000 Caesars Stakes (Listed) and the $150,000 Horseshoe Indianapolis Stakes, will kick off the stakes season Wednesday, May 18. They join two other stakes with purses in excess of $500,000 during the afternoon card.

The 20^th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing is set to resume Tuesday, April 19 and run through Wednesday, Nov. 23. Racing will be held Monday through Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. with Thursday racing beginning at 3:30 p.m. A total of 12 Saturday racing programs will be held in 2022.

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