Tom Pedulla presents five key takeaways from Pegasus World Cup day on Jan. 29 at Gulfstream Park:
Tag: Racing
Another Mystery, Fantasioso Dead-Heat In Thrilling John B. Connally Turf Cup
To say that history was on the line in Sunday afternoon's Grade 3, $200,00 John B. Connally Turf Cup at Sam Houston Race Park, would be a major understatement. Since its first running in 1995, the race has attracted some of the top turf horses in the country. On Sunday, not one but two turf specialists added their names to the list of John B. Connally Turf Cup champions and history was made as the race resulted in a dead-heat for the win for the first time.
The 1 1/2-mile turf event came to a thrilling conclusion with a three-horse photo finish at the wire. The Turf Cup has always attracted top turf horses from across the country, and Sunday's race was no exception as the Illinois-bred Another Mystery, with races from the Midwest and West Coast, shared the win with East Coast-based, Argentinian-bred Fantasioso.
James Graham-ridden Fantasioso, a 7-year-old horse by Strategic Prince, was bred by Luther Eduardo Carlos in Argentina. He is co-owned by Bloom Racing Stable and his trainer, Ignacio Correas, IV.
Though he had made 12 starts at the distance previously, Fantasioso was cutting back from his last race, the two-mile H. Allen Jerkins Stakes at Gulfstream in which he finished third. He has hit the board in several stakes but was in search of an elusive win.
“He's such a cool horse,” said co-owner Jeff Bloom. “This was a well-deserved victory as he has been close in so many of his races. James rode him perfectly and it was so gratifying to see him win a graded stakes in the United States.”
Fantasioso won several graded stakes in his native Argentina but this was his first graded stakes victory in North America. He has earned $259,539 in 32 career starts and has finished in the money in 19 starts, including six victories.
Graham was able to close despite slow fractions and create the trip his horse needed.
“They went slow in front of us, but he ran his rear end off and I was glad to finally win a Connally Cup,” said Graham, who made the trip to Sam Houston from Fair Grounds. “This horse has a good kick and I appreciated the opportunity to ride for Ignacio and Jeff.”
Another Mystery is a 6-year-old horse by Temple City, bred and owned by Team Block and trained by Chris Block. This marked the second Connally Turf Cup win for Team Block, who also brought Fort Prado to the winners' circle in 2006.
“Two years ago he ran in the Connally coming off a ten-day rest,” said Block. “He's matured a lot and as my dad would say, he's been crying out for three turns. He had a good rest and trained great coming into the race. The Ioya family is all turf and Jareth put a great ride on him.”
Jareth Loveberry had the call on Another Mystery after riding the horse twice at the Fair Grounds, including a win in the Bob F. Wright Memorial Stakes. He is multiple graded stakes placed with $358,000 in earnings and picked up his seventh career win in 24 starts.
“He ran a really good race and handled the turf course well today,” said Loveberry. “He was grabbing the bit and had his head down at the right time. I want to thank Chris and the whole team for getting him ready.”
He'll get a rest and run next at Fair Grounds, according to Block. Jeff Bloom said that Fantasioso will likely be pointed to Keeneland.
The final time for the stake was 2:31.28. Both horses closed from far back to hit the wire together after letting Dyn O Mite and Strong Tide set the fractions up front. Strong Tide held on to be involved in the photo finish at the wire and was placed third.
Strong Tide is a homebred for Michael and Penny Lauer of Indiana; Penny Lauer owns and Michael Lauer trains the 5-year-old son of English Channel. Geovanni Franco traveled to Houston to ride Strong Tide, who he also rode to victory in an optional claiming event at Oaklawn in their last start.
Hierarchy and Corey Lanerie led the rest of the field in fourth place, followed by pacesetter Dyn O Mite, post-time favorite Ajourneytofreedom, Malthael, Decision Maker, Tide of the Sea, Logical Myth, Parrot Head and Conviction Trade.
The John B. Connally Turf was awarded Grade 3 status in 2006 and boasts a solid roster of past winners including Chorwon, Warleigh, Fort Prado, Rod and Staff, Swift Warrior as well as three-time champions, Candid Glen and Bigger Picture.
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Pauline’s Pearl Gives Asmussen Third Houston Ladies Classic Victory
A very successful renewal of the Houston Racing Festival at Sam Houston Race Park took place on Sunday afternoon in Houston, Texas, with exciting performances throughout the program and tremendous support by horseplayers here and across the country.
For the second year in a row, Sam Houston Race Park set a new all-source handle record with $5.98 million wagered on the 11-race program. This number topped last year's wagering record of 5.3 million and the $5.2 million wagered on the NTRA Great State Challenge in 2002.
Stonestreet Stable LLC's homebred Pauline's Pearl won the richest race on the card, the Grade 3, $400,000 Houston Ladies Classic.
It was the third win in the Houston Ladies Classic for Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen, who trained previous winners Midnight Bisou and Lady Apple. On Sunday, Pauline's Pearl, at odds of 3-5, joined the list as his third winner of the featured race since the Houston Ladies Classic was inaugurated in 2013.
“This is a very key race and the mares who have won this have a big say in the stakes for older mares,” said Asmussen. “Pauline's Pearl is a very nice Stonestreet homebred who has been training extremely well and we are proud of this victory.”
Asmussen spoke about the future of the talented filly.
“She won the Fantasy at Oaklawn last year, so we will head back to Hot Springs and hope she continues to progress,” he added.
The multiple graded stakes placed filly won the Fantasy (G3) at Oaklawn Park last spring before competing in the Kentucky Oaks (G1). She is a daughter of Tapit and is out of the Dixie Union mare Hot Dixie Chick, a multiple graded stakes winner who Asmussen also trained during her racing career.
With her share of the Houston Ladies Classic purse, Pauline's Pearl is just shy of becoming racing's newest millionaire, with $968,500 earned in 11 starts and four wins.
The victory gave Joel Rosario his second stakes win of the day. The pair sat off the pace early and had their work cut out for them as they swung wide in the final turn and pulled clear of runner-up Golden Curl in the stretch to win by 3 3/4 lengths. The final time for the mile and one-sixteenth on the main track stake on the main track was 1:44.43. Golden Curl sat comfortably in second place throughout the race with Tyler Gaffalione aboard for trainer Shawn Davis.
“The trip set up beautifully for us,” said Gaffalione. “She broke alertly and the favorite went ahead. I was able to get to her outside. She settled nicely and even though we couldn't catch the winner, my filly gave a good performance today.”
The 6-year-old Curlin mare is also bred by Stonestreet and is owned by George Sharp. She made her debut in Houston in the Ladies Classic and was a stakes winner at Remington last fall.
Corey Lanerie and Audrey's Time finished third for trainer Neil Pessin. Owned by Lothenbach Stables, Audrey's Time is a 4-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo who shipped in fresh off a win at the Fair Grounds in the $75,000 Joseph “Spanky” Broussard Stakes.
Becca's Rocket completed the superfecta while pacesetter The Mary Rose finished fifth, followed by Velvet Crush and Champagne Affair.
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Prat, Friar’s Road Reunite For San Marcos Triumph At Santa Anita
It was conditions to order for trainer Michael McCarthy's Friar's Road in Sunday's Grade 2, $225,000 San Marcos Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. With a strong pace to run at, the 5-year-old horse by Quality Road did just that, as he wheeled three-deep turning for home and inhaled dueling leaders Bob and Jackie and Acclimate to register an emphatic 4 ¼-length win. Ridden by Flavien Prat, he got a mile and one quarter on turf in 1:58.67.
“I had been on him a few times in the morning and I was really happy with the way he was training,” said Prat, who hadn't ridden Friar's Road since finishing second on him in a maiden special weight on dirt at Oaklawn Park 10 starts back on May 2, 2020. “There was a strong pace today and he was there for me when it was time to make a move. The pace was key today. He's a big horse with a long stride and you don't want to take too much hold of him.”
Most recently second, beaten a nose in the Grade 3 San Gabriel Stakes which was switched to the dirt on Dec. 26, Friar's Road, who was twice graded stakes placed on turf last year, was off as the even money favorite in a field of five older horses and paid $4.20, $3.00 and $2.20.
“It was fantastic, a great way to end the weekend,” said McCarthy, who chalked up his third stakes win of the meeting.
Owned by Mr. and Mrs. W.K. Warren, Friar's Road, who is out of the Giant's Causeway mare My Sugar Bear, notched his first stakes win and improved his overall mark to 13-3-4-2. With the winner's share of $135,000, he increased his earnings to $346,500.
Ridden by Jose Valdivia, Jr., Bob and Jackie, who won the opening day San Gabriel in gate to wire fashion, was tasked with keeping speedy Acclimate honest on the early lead and tired to finish second, a head better than Say the Word. Off at 13-1, Bob and Jackie paid $9.80 and $4.40.
Say the Word, next to last after the first half mile, put in a mild bid to be third by a 1 ¼ lengths over Lincoln Hawk. Off at 2-1 with Umberto Rispoli, Say the Word paid $2.20 to show.
Fractions on the race were 22.69, 46.60, 1:11.09 and 1:34.98.
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