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Under The Stars Chasing Oaks Points In Saturday’s Santa Ynez Stakes

An impressive maiden winner in her most recent start, Bob Baffert's Under the Stars heads a field of six sophomore fillies going seven furlongs in Saturday's Grade one, $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita.

Reddam Racing's Awake At Midnyte, a close second in a one mile turf stakes on Nov. 27, rates a big look as does California-bred stakes winner Big Switch and recent turf maiden winner Miss Mattie B.

A respectable third, beaten three quarters of a length by the well regarded Tonito's in the 6 ½ furlong Desi Arnaz Stakes two starts back on Nov. 13, Under the Stars came back earn a Beyer Speed Figure of 80 when registering an impressive three length maiden win at Los Alamitos going six furlongs on Dec. 11.

Bet down to the 2-5 favorite in a field of 12, the Kentucky-bred daughter of Pioneerof the Nile, out of the Storm Cat mare Untouched Talent drew away from her competition like a filly of considerable promise for owners Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, in what was her third career start.

A $320,000 March 2-year-old in training sale purchase, Awake At Midnyte pressed the pace and came away a game neck first-out maiden winner going six furlongs on Oct. 31 here at Santa Anita and then stretched out to a mile on turf in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes at Del Mar Nov. 27. A close second early, she wrested control a sixteenth of a mile out but lost a desperate photo by a nose in a huge effort. By Nyquist out of the Union Rags mare Midnight Union, Awake at Midnyte should be forwardly placed under regular rider Mario Gutierrez.

A California-bred by hot sire Mr. Big, John Sadler's Big Switch, a first-out maiden winner going six furlongs at Del Mar Aug. 20, followed that up with a 2 ¾ length win going seven furlongs in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies Nov. 5, earning an 80 Beyer Speed Figure. In what will be her first try in open company, she'll get the services of John Velazquez. Owned by her breeder, George Krikorian, Big Switch is out of the Malibu Moon mare Two Faced Moon.

Trained by Bob Hess, Jr., Miss Mattie B rallied from far back to break her maiden going one mile on turf Nov. 27 and will hope to have a similar late kick as she switched back to dirt and shortens up a furlong. Owned by Westlake Racing, Stable, Miss Mattie B, who will be ridden back by Mike Smith, is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Tonalist out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Traffic Blimp.

Trainer Jonathan Wong's speedy Mimajoon also rates a look, as she comes off a gate to wire score on synthetic Tapeta in the Golden Gate Debutante Stakes Nov. 26. A front-running maiden winner going five furlongs on turf Nov. 13, Mimajoon, a Florida-bred by Fed Biz, out of the Indian Charlie mare Sister Charlie, is owned by her breeder, Scott Herbertson and will be ridden for the first time by Kyle Frey.

THE GRADE 2 SANTA YNEZ STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

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

Under the Stars—Flavien Prat—120
Big Shamrock—Abel Cedillo—120
Big Switch—John Velazquez–122
Mimajoon—Kyle Frey—122
Awake At Midnyte—Mario Gutierrez–120
Miss Mattie B—Mike Smith—120

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. Admission gates open at 10:30 a.m.

The post Under The Stars Chasing Oaks Points In Saturday’s Santa Ynez Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Rivalry Between My Boy Tate, Lobsta Continues In Saturday’s Say Florida Sandy

Lobsta and My Boy Tate, the respective one-two finishers last out in the NYSSS Thunder Rumble, will square off once more in Saturday's fifth running of the $100,000 Say Florida Sandy for New York-breds 4-years-old and up going seven furlongs at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Both Lobsta and My Boy Tate will carry 124 pounds Saturday, six more pounds than each of their four rivals in the six-horse Say Florida Sandy field.

Last out, in the seven-furlong NYSSS Thunder Rumble on Dec 5 at the Big A, the Gary Sciacca-trained Lobsta, carrying 118 pounds, took command from Post 10 and battled with stablemate and full-brother Chowda to his inside.

My Boy Tate, assigned a co-field high 124 pounds, raced along the rail down the backstretch and launched a menacing bid in upper stretch briefly capturing command. But Lobsta responded to Hall of Famer Javier Castellano's right-handed encouragement, getting the better of his foe by a half-length.

Owned by Eddie Fazzone's Eddie F's Racing, Lobsta earned three stakes placings prior to his last out victory, which came off a nearly five-month layoff.

Following a successful sophomore debut last January at a flat mile, the 4-year-old son of Emcee was a distant second to Nicky the Vest in the Gander before completing the trifecta in the Mike Lee at Belmont Park and the New York Derby at Finger Lakes.

“I thought Chowda was going to get the lead, but Lobsta dragged Castellano to the front. I couldn't believe it,” Sciacca recalled. “I was surprised Lobsta broke like he did off a layoff and come out of there like a rocket. Both runners have a lot of fight in them.”

Sciacca said his friendship with Fazzone dates back over three decades.

“He's a good friend that I've known for over 30 years,” Sciacca said. “We just became good friends along the years. Nobody loves racing more than him. He's a loyal, great guy. More owners like him would make the game easier.”

Bred in the Empire State by Fedwell Farm, Lobsta sports a consistent ledger of 8-3-1-2 with earnings of $221,400.

Castellano will pilot Lobsta once more from post 4.

My Boy Tate will seek a second non-consecutive win in the Say Florida Sandy, capturing the event in 2018. Trained, bred and co-owned by Michelle Nevin in partnership with Little Red Feather Racing, the 8-year-old son of Boys At Tosconova arrives as the most accomplished horse in the field with six stakes victories and a field-best $717,788 in earnings.

With 5-of-6 stakes wins taking place at Aqueduct, including dual victories in the Hollie Hughes [2018 and 2021], My Boy Tate will attempt an eighth career win over the Big A oval. He currently boasts a record of 14-7-3-1 when competing at Aqueduct.

Nevin, who has captured three of the four runnings of the Say Florida Sandy saddling Honor Up [2019] and Our Last Buck [2021] to respective victories, said My Boy Tate produced a game effort last out.

“He went out and ran his race. He didn't do anything wrong and he was giving it his best,” Nevin said. “Hopefully, this time he has a better day and gets the best of them. He's a determined horse. He's definitely a fun horse to have around.”

Eric Cancel, who rode My Boy Tate to victory in last year's Haynesfield, will return to the irons from post 5.

Seeking his first stakes coup since the 2020 Albany at Saratoga is Chestertown, a royally-bred son of Tapit out of Grade 1-winner Artemis Agrotera, for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen.

Chestertown, owned by West Point Thoroughbreds, Chester and Mary Broman, Woodford Racing, Siena Farms and Robert Masiello, kicked off his 2021 campaign with a four-length victory in a nine-furlong allowance at Aqueduct. In his lone stakes start last season, he was a distant second in the Hudson on Oct 30 over a sloppy and sealed Belmont Park main track.

Returning pilot Jose Lezcano will ride from post 2.

Completing the field are Alpha Chi Rho [post 1, Jose Ortiz] – who arrives off two straight wins; graded-stakes placed Battle Station [post 3, Kendrick Carmouche], and five-time winner Saratoga Pal [post 6, Trevor McCarthy].

The Say Florida Sandy honors the late multiple graded stakes winner whose lengthy career saw 98 starts and spanned from 1996-2003. Say Florida Sandy earned New York-bred championship honors multiple times, including three New York champion sprinter titles and New York Horse of the Year honors in 2001-02. Following a 10-year career at stud, Say Florida Sandy was pensioned and retired to Old Friends in 2014.

The Say Florida Sandy is carded as Race 8 on Saturday's nine-race card at the Big A. First post is 12:20 p.m.

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Gosden Readying Mishriff For ‘Another Crack’ At Saudi Cup

Surprise winner of the $20 million Saudi Cup last February, the John and Thady Gosden-trained Mishriff is being readied for a repeat in 2022, according to racingpost.com. The 5-year-old son of Make Believe posted wins in last year's Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic and G1 Juddmonte International at York, finishing the season with a fourth-place finish in the G1 Champion Stakes at Ascot.

“Mishriff has done well over winter as you would expect as he's a 5-year-old and he's thickened out again,” Gosden told racingpost.com. “He's been back out cantering on Warren Hill for the past few days and we are slowly building him up for another crack at the Saudi Cup.”

The Saudi Cup will hold Group 1 status for the first time in 2022.

Joining Mishriff on the trip to Saudi Arabia may be his Group 1-winning stablemate Lord North, who could target the G3 Neom Cup on the turf. The 6-year-old Dubawi horse won the G1 Dubai Turf last March, but missed the rest of the season.

Scandinavia’s ‘Frankel Of The Fjords’ On Course For Saudi Cup Meeting

Scandinavian star Square De Luynes is on course for a crack at the Group 3 Neom Turf Cup at the glittering Saudi Cup meeting.

Nicknamed “Frankel of the Fjords” by his adoring fans, the three-time winner of the prestigious Stockholm Cup International is being prepared in Dubai for the $1.5million contest over 2100 meters (1 5/16 miles) on Saturday, Feb. 26 by trainer Niels Petersen.

The 7-year-old could be joined by stablemates Kick On and King David at The Saudi Cup meeting, who are both being aimed at the $500,000 Saudi International Handicap on Friday, Feb. 25– a race restricted to horses trained in IFHA-registered Part II and III racing countries, like Norway.

There is no doubt Square De Luynes is the star of the trainer's potential Saudi raiding party and Petersen, a Dane based in Norway, said: “Square De Luynes is the best horse in Scandinavia – by the figures, by his performances, by everything. He's the star of the show here – he's such a popular horse.

“He's got a high cruising speed. He can run over anything from 1800m to 2400m and he's as good on soft ground as he is on fast. He can also go from the front or come from behind, it doesn't matter. He beat the track record at Ovrevoll by a good margin over 1800m in August after 11 months off the track.

“I think the track in Saudi will suit him – left-handed, two bends, it should be spot on – and the 2100m distance should be ideal. That's why we are targeting The Saudi Cup meeting. Looking at last year's Neom Turf Cup, he should be good enough and he's so well in himself.”

It had been Petersen's plan to run Square De Luynes, among others, at last year's Saudi Cup meeting, but the harsh Norwegian winter threw a spanner in the works.

This time he was able to ship a select team to Dubai. The horses have been in the UAE several weeks and all three of Petersen's Saudi hopes will have prep-runs at Meydan.

He revealed: “We've been lucky with the weather in Norway this year as we've been able to train them up until we left so that's a big plus. Normally we get a lot of rain in the autumn. When that happens and it freezes you lose everything as the track turns to concrete.

“This year it just turned cold and they were able to get a lot of salt on the track. They also put a lot of new sand down so we could work horses on it – you couldn't race on it but you could do a good canter. It meant we could maintain the horses' fitness which we've been unable to do in other years.

“That's why we couldn't go to Saudi last year. There was no point as it was a hard winter here and the horses lost too much of their condition. You don't take chances with these horses – you need to do it right.”

Square De Luynes is owned by the Stall Power Girls – a syndicate made up of some of his owners' wives, including Petersen's own wife. Their distinctive pink colors will certainly stand out on Saudi Cup day.

They have had to be patient as Square De Luynes has suffered with foot problems and ambitious Petersen is taking no chances as he prepares his stable star for a race he hopes will help propel him on to racing's world stage.

He said: “We have to look after him. He's had big issues with his feet – he cracked his hoof in two. You wouldn't believe it unless you saw it. I've got a very good farrier and he's going to fly out to shoe him in Dubai and Saudi. There's so much work that goes into these good horses.

“Pat Cosgrave knows him now and that's why we fly him out to ride him all the time. We don't want to be changing jockeys. You need to know him a little bit. When we're racing in Scandinavia we're in our backyard and we know what we're doing. It's different to go abroad with him.

“Pat has got great belief in Square De Luynes. He says he is a proper Group 2 horse and maybe even a bit more. He's confident he's a horse that will take us worldwide, but he does need to prove it.

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“We've had good horses before but to measure up on the international stage is a little bit different. I do think this fella is the guy that can take us there.

“It's no big secret that I'm maybe looking a little bit to get out of Scandinavia in years to come. I've done so much here and I've been champion I don't know how many years. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for that and it's been brilliant, but you come to a point when you want to achieve more.”

When Square De Luynes won the Group 3 Marit Sveaas Minnelop at Ovrevoll in August, his stablemates Kick On and King David filled the places.

Kick On had won that 1800m contest the previous year having joined Petersen from British trainer John Gosden. He was considered a top-class prospect when he won the Listed Feilden Stakes at Newmarket in 2019 before finishing seventh behind Magna Grecia in the 2000 Guineas.

Now he will join Denmark-bred King David in being aimed at the $500,000 Saudi International Handicap.

Petersen said: “Last year Kick On won four races in a row including the big Group 3 and he's had a good season this year. He's a proven performer at the level. We've got him to relax in behind and finish his races. He's been a super horse and he's good enough to be very competitive.

“King David had a little bit of an off time after joining me from another trainer, but we got him back up to his level this year and he's been very good.

“I think both of them will be suited by the race and you're not meeting the best horses from the main racing countries so it's a little less competitive. The International Handicap obviously has some conditions which we benefit from.

“What they're doing with The Saudi Cup is great. For me it will be a big achievement just to be there to take part. These are the places we want to be and it's not very often you have horses coming out of Scandinavia good enough to do that. It fits in with my ambitions.”

Entries close for all international races at The Saudi Cup meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 5.

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