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Avenue De France Gets Second Stakes Win In Miss America At Golden Gate

5-year-old mare Avenue de France saved ground the whole way around the racetrack and shot by the early pace players to win the $50,000 Miss America Stakes on Sunday afternoon at Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley, Calif. The Miss America, originally scheduled for the turf, was transferred to the Tapeta main track after a steady rainfall hit the Bay Area throughout the day on Sunday.

Avenue de France, who won the Luther Burbank Stakes on turf in August, sat in fourth position early on in the race and hugged the rail for the entire one-mile journey. Down the stretch, a seam opened up for Avenue de France, who darted forward, pushed past runner-up finisher and 7-5 favorite Brooke in the final stages, and won the mile and a sixteenth contest by a length. Avenue de France stopped the clock for the 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.19 seconds. Early pacesetter Sloane Garden finished third, followed by Reiwa, Tapwater, and Blue Diva.

Avenue de France paid $17.00 to win, $5.40 to place, and $3.60 to show. Brooke paid $3.40 to place and $2.60 to show while Sloane Garden returned $4.20 to show.

Avenue De France, guided to victory by Assael Espinoza, is trained by Southern California condition Leonard Powell. She is owned in partnership by the Benowitz Family Trust, Convergence Stables, Madaket Stables LLC, Wonder Stables, and Mathilde Powell. With the stakes victory, Avenue de France improved her lifetime record to five wins and four third-place finishes from 14 lifetime starts, with career earnings of $157,612. Avenue de France was bred in France by SARL Jedburgh Stud and Theirry de Heronniere.

Sunday concludes the 2021 Fall Meet at Golden Gate Fields. Live racing resumes the day after Christmas, Sunday, December 26, commencing the upcoming Winter/Spring meet which runs from late December to mid-June. First post is 12:45 PM PT.

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Straight Up G Much The Best In King Glorious

A stretch to two turns proved no problem for Straight Up G as the Straight Fire colt scored a decisive gate-to-wire victory in the $102,000 King Glorious Stakes Sunday, the final day of the Winter meet at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Calif.

Under jockey Ricardo Gonzalez, Straight Up G, who is owned by breeder Jim Rome's Jungle Racing LLC, easily dispatched of early challengers Moose Mitchell and Thirsty Always to draw clear in the stretch and ultimately prevail by 3 ½ lengths in the race for 2-year-olds bred or sired in California.

Trained by Richard Baltas, who also trains the colt's half-sister Gidgetta, Straight Up G, who is out of the Sky Mesa mare Gidget Girl, completed the mile in 1:36.88 and returned $6.00, $4.20, and $3.00 as the 2-1 second choice in the field of nine. He's now won twice in three races and earned $105,660. His King Glorious win came three weeks after he graduated by 5 ½ lengths going six furlongs at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

“This horse has a lot of natural speed,'' said Baltas. “I left it up to (Gonzalez). I told him just break well and go from there. He's always worked really, really well. He's a good horse and he's got a good mind.''

Gonzalez, who is now 2-for-2 on Straight Up G, said he very felt confident about how the race was going to turn out shortly after the start.

“He broke very sharp, and when we got to the first turn, he was moving his ears back and forth so I knew it was game over right there,'' he said. “I knew it was going to be a stroll in the park.''

Finneus, who defeated eventual Los Alamitos Futurity winner Slow Down Andy to win the Golden State Juvenile Nov. 5 at Del Mar, rallied for second as the 19-10 favorite. He paid $3.00 and $2.40 while finishing 1 ¾ lengths in front of 3-1 third choice Fast Draw Munnings. The show price on Fast Draw Munnings, who was a first-out maiden winner Sept. 17 at Los Alamitos, was $3.20.

Fowler Blue, Moose Mitchell, Divine Feminine, Socal Red, Thirsty Always, and So I'm Told completed the order of finish.

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Unique Unions Prepares For NYSSS Great White Way

Unique Unions, trained and co-owned by Rick Schosberg with Clear Stars Stable and Mitre Box Stable, put in his final work Saturday for next Saturday's seven-furlong $500,000 NYSSS Great White Way for eligible state-sired juveniles at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

The Union Jackson gelding breezed a half-mile in :50.08 over the dirt training track at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

“It was hard to see because it was so foggy, but he did fine,” Schosberg said. “He doesn't need a whole lot coming off of his last race and I'm very pleased with the way he's coming along.”

Entering the Great White Way off a six-furlong state-bred maiden special weight victory on November 20 at Aqueduct, Schosberg said the gelding is ready for stakes company.

“We always thought he was a real quality horse and he's proving it,” said Schosberg. “He's got a wonderful personality and a good way of going. He stays low to the ground and I was impressed with his maiden victory.”

Unique Union's owners and Schosberg earned a stakes victory this year when A Bit o'Irish Sass won the New York Oaks at Finger Lakes Racetrack in Farmington, N.Y., in July, geared down and 4 1/2-lengths clear of runner-up U Guys Are No Fun.

The 3-year-old daughter of Laoban made her next start in the Fleet Indian at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., on August 27, finishing a non-threatening fourth in the field of six. Away from the track since the Fleet Indian, Schosberg said the filly is making steady progress back to the races.

“She had a little issue after her last start and she just needed some time,” said Schosberg. “I was hoping I would have her back in time for the [NYSSS Staten Island] last weekend, but she needed more time. She's coming back to the barn from the farm [Saturday] and we are looking forward to having her back.”

Bossmakinbossmoves, a 2-year-old gelded son of Laoban, most recently finished fifth in a 6 ½-furlong state-bred maiden special weight at Aqueduct on December 5 after a pair of runner-up efforts earlier this year at Belmont.

Schosberg said the gelding could be a special one going forward.

“I was going to run him in the Great White Way also because he's eligible, but that race is going to be too short for him and he wants to stretch out,” Schosberg said. “He's going to be a nice horse, he just needs to cover some ground. He ran a good race last out, but I didn't want to run him in a stakes.”

Schosberg also serves as the president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association's Take The Lead program, which helps to facilitate the transition of racehorses from the track to new homes in retirement. Now in its eighth year, Schosberg says the program is continuing to see strong support.

“We are approaching our 900th horse [through the program] very rapidly,” said Schosberg. “At the moment, I have 12 horses who are transitioning off the track. At any time of the week, we have anywhere from five to 10 horses on our list in different phases of transition. We are very busy and have horses leaving for retirement all the time.”

For more information on Take The Lead, visit https://www.take2tbreds.com/about-take-the-lead/.

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Londono Aims For Biggest Win Yet With Stirdatpot In Great White Way

Genevieve Londono will be crossing her fingers for the biggest win of her career when juvenile Stirdatpot starts in Saturday's NYSSS Great White Way. Contested at six furlongs over Aqueduct's main track, the Great White Way offers a purse of $500,000 as part of the New York Stallion Stakes Series for eligible state-sired 2-year-olds.

Londono, who left a career as a vet tech to pursue training, has a long history in the equine world – her father was a rider and her mother runs a breeding operation. After starting her training ventures as an assistant to Wayne Catalano, Mike Maker, Michael Trombetta, and a few others, Londono went out on her own five years ago.

“I never really wanted to be a trainer; it was never really my goal,” said Londono. “I actually had wanted to be a vet. But after working around the horses with my parents and then working as an assistant to other trainers, I asked, 'why can't I do it myself?'”

Londono, based at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., currently trains five horses and exercises them in the mornings, preferring to be hands on with each of her trainees. Starters for Londono have finished on the board at a 51 percent clip for a career record of 96-14-18-17 and nearly $600,000 in earnings.

Cash Logistics, a gelding by Unbridled Express, is the top performer from Londono's barn, awarding Londono the first stakes victory of her career when he won Indiana Grand's Sagamore Sired in 2020.

Stirdatpot, who finished second on debut at Churchill last time out sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs over a muddy track on November 14, will be the second stakes starter for Londono.

Bred in Florida by Londono and co-owner Charlie Hancock, Stirdatpot is a son of 2012 Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Trinniberg, who stood in the Empire State for five seasons.

As a registered Florida-bred with a qualifying New York sire, Stirdatpot is eligible for a wide array of conditions in both Florida and New York, an opportunity Londono says she would not have in many jurisdictions.

“We chose to nominate to the Stallion Series to give us some options going forward,” Londono said. “The purse is great and we know the kind of competition we are getting into.”

Now with Stirdatpot awaiting a run at the biggest race of her career, Londono said she is eager to see how the colt stands up against fellow New York-sired competition.

“It's definitely nerve-wracking,” said Londono. “But I'm excited for it. This would be huge to win. He showed enough in his first start to make me think he'll do well here. I'm having the best year of my career so far and I hope we can continue that in this spot.”

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