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‘Amazing’ 9-Year-Old Rated R Superstar Could Make Fifth Start In Upcoming Razorback

Danny Caldwell recorded his second career Oaklawn stakes victory Saturday and he used an old script to do it.

“Yeah, I guess so,” Oaklawn's four-time leading owner said. “That's probably not been done much.”

Caldwell struck again with millionaire Rated R Superstar ($53.80), who collared front-running Mucho on the outside near the wire to win the one-mile race for older horses by a neck under David Cabrera. Caldwell also won the 2017 Fifth Season with another 9-year-old gelding, Domain's Rap, who, like Rated R Superstar, was making his seasonal debut in the race.

On behalf of Caldwell, trainer Federico Villafranco claimed Domain's Rap and Rated R Superstar for $10,000 and $50,000, respectively, the latter coming last January at Oaklawn.

“I was actually thinking about an allowance race for him this time, bringing him back off a layoff,” Caldwell said. “But he was doing so good and Freddy told me: 'He's doing as good as he's ever been doing in our barn, coming off the layoff.' He was fresh and seemed like he was ready.”

Rated R Superstar hadn't started since finishing second in a Sept. 11 allowance race at Remington Park. Caldwell said the gelding came out of the race with a minor splint bone issue, necessitating a short break from training. Rated R Superstar had five published workouts since Dec. 2, the last two coming at Oaklawn, in advance of the Fifth Season.

Last entering the backstretch, Rated R Superstar zoomed past most of the field along the rail to reach contention at the half-mile pole. Rated R Superstar had to wait briefly on the second turn before Cabrera guided the gelding to the outside, three-wide, approaching the quarter-pole. Rated R Superstar wore down a stubborn Mucho in the short run to the wire (mile races at Oaklawn begin and end at the sixteenth pole).

Rated R Superstar's winning time of 1:37.16 was the fastest since the Fifth Season was shortened from 1 1/16 miles to a mile in 2020, when the race was split. Rated R Superstar ran sixth in the second division in 2020. The track was fast Saturday.

“The pace set up well for us and he's a late runner,” Caldwell said. “David made a good move on the backside here to get him up in there. We didn't want to get shuffled back and end up going 15-wide. So, he made that move up the rail and I'm thinking, 'I hope we didn't move too quick.' But I could tell he still had some horse. Luckily, they kept going and we had an opportunity down the stretch to run them down.”

The victory was the 10th in 57 lifetime starts for Rated R Superstar and raised his career earnings to $1,271,014. He is a five-time stakes winner.

Rated R Superstar has been an ATM throughout his lengthy career, bankrolling $518,367 and becoming a multiple Grade 3 winner in his first 30 starts for trainer Kenny McPeek. Rated R Superstar made 18 starts for trainer Cipriano Contreras after being claimed for $62,500 in November 2018 at Churchill Downs.

Highlighted by a victory in the $350,000 Essex Handicap for older horses in 2019 at Oaklawn, the gelding earned $363,656 before Contreras lost him to Caldwell almost a year ago. In nine starts for Caldwell and Villafranco, Rated R Superstar has made $388,991 and posted three victories, including the $175,000 Governor's Cup Stakes Aug. 20 at Remington Park.

“Amazing,” Caldwell said.

Oaklawn's two-turn stakes series for older horses continues with the $600,000 Razorback Handicap (G3) at 1 1/16 miles Feb. 12. Rated R Superstar has already started four times in the Razorback, finishing sixth for McPeek in 2018, third for Contreras in 2019, seventh for Contreras in 2020 and fifth for Villafranco last year.

“We'll see,” Caldwell said of another potential Razorback start. “He'll tell us.”

Rated R Superstar is a son of 2008 Oaklawn allowance winner and 2009 champion sprinter Kodiak Kowboy.

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Upstart Rose Dawson Flies Late To Capture California Cup Oaks

With but one race to her credit, Nick Alexander's homebred Rose Dawson adapted to a change in conditions like a seasoned veteran as she flew late to take Saturday's $200,000 Leigh Ann Howard California Cup Oaks by one length at Santa Anita Park. Trained by Phil D'Amato and ridden by Flavien Prat, both of whom registered stakes doubles on the afternoon, Rose Dawson, a 3-year-old grey daughter of Alexander's Grazen, who was trying grass and two turns for the first time, got a flat mile in 1:36.07.

Next to last, about nine lengths off dueling leaders Professors' Pride and Eleuthera with three furlongs to run, Rose Dawson hugged the rail to the top of the lane, swung five-deep and went on to win with her ears pricked at the wire in a dramatic finish to a 10-race California Cup Day program.

“I'm very proud of her because I kinda thought I might be throwing a lot at her, going long and first time grass with winners,” said D'Amato, who won the $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Turf Sprint two races earlier with Leggs Galore. “She just stepped up to the plate and it was a beautiful ride by Flavien. That was the cherry on top for the day.

“With the big field (12 sophomore fillies), she got a great setup and a great trip. She saved every inch of ground and he was able to tip-out at the top of the lane and it was beautiful to watch.”

A fourth length first-out maiden winner versus statebreds going 5 ½ furlongs at Los Alamitos Dec. 5, Rose Dawson, who is out of the Bertrando mare Sudden Sunday, was off at 9-2 and paid $11.40, $5.80 and $4.20. With her winnings of $110,000, she boosted her earnings to $141,200.

“We were drawn outside and Phil told me to get her to relax, so I dropped myself in and she relaxed well,” said Prat, who also won Saturday's sixth race, the $200,000 Unusual Heat Turf Classic aboard Aligato. “She gave me a good kick down the lane. There was some early pace. Phil told me she can be a little rank sometimes, so I was really trying to focus on her more than the race. She is impressive.”

Ridden by John Velazquez, Big Novel, who broke from the rail, was a joint third, about three lengths off the lead mid-way on the far turn, made the lead a sixteenth out, but couldn't hold off the winner while finishing 1 ½ lengths in front of favored Vivacious Vanessa. Off at 5-1, Big Novel paid $5.80 and $4.40.

The tepid choice at 3-1, Vivacious Vanessa finished well under Juan Hernandez and paid $3.00 to show.

Fractions on the race were 23.11, 46.96, 1:11.40 and 1:23.98.

Racing resumes with first post time for a nine-race card on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

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Brickyard Ride Returns A Winner In Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint

Perhaps the fastest horse on the grounds, the Alfred Pais-homebred Brickyard Ride blasted off from his number three post position and never looked back as he marched to a 1 ¾ length score in Saturday's $150,000 Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint at Santa Anita. Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Brickyard Ride, idle since well beaten going seven furlongs in the Grade 2 Pat O'Brien Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 28, got six furlongs in 1:09.54 while successfully defending his Cal Cup Sprint title.

Although a well-meant Letsgetlucky applied serious pressure into and around the far turn, Brickyard Ride got the separation he needed leaving the quarter pole and he enjoyed a three length advantage a furlong from home in a dominant performance.

“Craig told me to just let him run,” said Hernandez, who picked up his second win on the day. “He broke really sharp and he was ready today. I could tell he came to run because at the (break) he was trying to get the lead. Once I was on the lead that was it, I just let him run. I felt the pace was a little fast, but that is fine for a horse like him.”

The defending champ in the Cal Cup Sprint, Brickyard Ride, a 5-year-old chestnut horse by Clubhouse Ride, notched his fourth stakes victory and ninth overall from 19 starts. Off as the 8-5 favorite in a field of eight older horses bred or sired in California, Brickyard Ride paid $5.40, $3.80 and $2.60.

“I thought he ran great off the layoff,” said Lewis. “He's an extremely talented horse. He's very fast and I'm very happy with the result. We hope we're on to bigger and better things…Clubhouse Ride is really making a name for himself as a stud in California and we just hope there's some more coming. We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of some Clubhouse Ride 2-year-olds. This may be a lot to ask for, but we hope there's another Brickyard Ride in there.”

Out of the Southern Image mare Brickyard Helen, Brickyard Ride banked $90,000 on the day, increasing his earnings to $560,977.

Mid-pack early, Positivity finished well to be second, 1 ¾ lengths better than Letsgetlucky. Off at 4-1 with Flavien Prat, Positivity paid $4.40 and $3.00.

The second choice at 5-2 with Drayden Van Dyke, Letsgetlucky, in a big effort, finished third by three quarters of length over Principe Carlo and paid $2.80 to show.

Fractions on the race were 21.71, 44.15 and 56.58.

The Don Valpredo Cal Cup Sprint was carded as race nine and was the fourth of five stakes for California-bred of sired horses on a 10-race Cal Cup day program.

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Leggs Galore Goes All The Way In Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf SPrint

Fresh and dangerous, William Sims' homebred Leggs Galore burst out of the gate and never looked back in taking Saturday's $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint Presented by John Deere by 2 ¼ lengths under Ricky Gonzalez. Trained by Phil D'Amato, the 5-year-old mare by 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Bayern got about 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita's hillside turf course in 1:12.99.

Idle since running fourth in the one mile turf Solana Beach Stakes versus statebreds at Del Mar Aug. 15, Leggs Galore was plenty ready today, rattling off splits of 22.27, 44.66 and 1:06.86 while never challenged at any point.

“She saddled great, she was fresh and happy,” said D'Amato. “She just needed a little rest and recuperation after a long year last year. She has come back great. I think she is a double threat, I think she can (get a) mile just as easily as she can sprint on the grass. We will check our options, but down the road we want to see if we can get a graded stake win and make her a broodmare at the end of the year.”

The defending champ in the race and a three-time turf stakes winner coming into Saturday, Leggs Galore was off as the 5-2 second choice in a field of 12 older fillies and mares bred or sired in California and she paid $7.20, $5.20 and $4.60.

Out of the Indian Charlie mare Cashing Tickets, Leggs Galore notched her fourth stakes win and seventh overall win from 12 career starts. With the winner's share of $90,000, she increased her earnings to $440,208.

“I was a little worried about crossing the dirt (at the top of the lane) because she has a tendency of jumping in the other chute (off of Santa Anita's Club House turn), but she took it like the champ she is. She just skipped right over it and kicked for home really good.”

D'Amato ran one-two, as his Alice Marble, who was close to the pace throughout, was easily second finishing 2 ½ lengths in front of Eddie's New Dream. Off at 9-1 with Flavien Prat, Alice Marble paid $9.40 and $6.60.

Eddie's New Dream, who was also attentive to the pace, finished a head better than favored Warren's Showtime and paid $6.60 to show with Mario Gutierrez up.

Warren's Showtime, whose customary late bid fell short today, was off at 5-2 with Juan Hernandez and was beaten by less than four lengths.

Carded as race eight, the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint Presented by John Deere was the third of five stakes for California-bred or sired horses on a 10-race Cal Cup program.

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