Tag: Racing

Warren’s Showtime Best In California Distaff At Santa Anita

Classy Warren's Showtime overcame a pedestrian pace and rallied from last to take Saturday's $100,000 California Distaff Handicap for owner/breeders Ben and Sally Warren and trainer Craig Lewis at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. An ultra-consistent chestnut filly by top sire Clubhouse Ride, Warren's Showtime, in her first try down the track's hillside turf course, went about 6 ½ furlongs under Juan Hernandez in 1:13.76.

Last after the first half mile but only about four lengths off the lead, Warren's Showtime, who was shortening up out of five consecutive turf miles, loomed ominously as the field made the dirt crossing at the top of the lane and sliced her way through traffic in what was to become her seventh career stakes victory.

“I wasn't confident when I saw the first quarter, but I could see Juan was confident, so that gave me some hope,” said Lewis, who also conditioned millionaire Clubhouse Ride and Warren's Showtime's Grade I winning dam, Warren's Veneda. “(It) made me think maybe. Once she got into gear, I knew she'd get there…Another Clubhouse Ride, they just run.”

Overlayed at 2-1 off of her morning line of 9-5 in a field of six fillies and mares, Warren's Showtime paid $6.80, $3.80, and $2.80.

With the Distaff winner's share of $60,000, Warren's Showtime boosted her earnings to $775,431 from an overall mark of 22-8-2-10.

“I knew the pace wasn't that fast, but she was in the bridle and pulling,” said Hernandez, who has been aboard for her last nine races. “That's the way she likes to run and she came with a big run today. She's a nice filly, very consistent.”

The Warrens, who came in from their Las Vegas base to watch today's Distaff, were understandably elated with their homebred star.

“It's just been unbelievable and (Ben) has had so many horses, but not one that has been so consistent as 'Showtime,'” said Sally Warren. “We were just saying, 19 out of 21 starts and she's hit the board and that's unbelievable…We are really, really thankful. Craig picked her out at the farm, now we know (why).”

Although it was expected that speedy Anna Fantastic would make the early lead, most observers felt she'd be pressed by eventual favorite Bella Vita through quick early splits, but with Bella Vita taking a more conservative approach, moderate hillside fractions of :22.90, :45.99, and 1:08.14 resulted and it was Sedamar, who was second to the dirt crossing, who prevailed for the place by a half-length over Anna Fantastic.

Ridden by Joe Bravo, Sedamar was off at 7-1 and paid $6.60 and $4.40.

Anna Fantastic, off at 4-1 with Edwin Maldonado up, paid $3.60 to show while finishing 2 ¼ lengths clear of even-money favorite Bella Vita.

The California Distaff Handicap is part of the lucrative CTBA sponsored Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired fillies and mares three and up.

The Distaff marked win number two on the day with two races remaining for Hernandez, giving him 10 for the meet—five back of Flavien Prat, who has 15 wins through nine racing days.

First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m.

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Shantisara Wins Again, Gives Brown Another QE II Cup Victory

In her fourth American start, Shantisara (IRE) made it three wins in a row with her victory in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. Under jockey Flavien Prat, the 3-year-old filly stalked the pace through the far turn and then poured on the speed in the stretch to win by five lengths.

In the starting gate for the G1 stakes, with the field of ten lined up and ready to go, Lady Speightspeare acted up, necessitating all ten horses be backed out as the fractious filly required a veterinarian's examination before being allowed to continue. Lady Speightspeare was a late scratch, reducing the field to nine.

They broke cleanly from the Keeneland gate, with Chad Brown trainee Technical Analysis taking the lead over the yielding turf course. Prat settled Shantisara in fourth around the first turn, improving to third down the backstretch. Around the final turn, with Technical Analysis still the front runner, Shantisara angled three-wide to find a running lane for her stretch bid.

In the Keeneland straight, Shantisara took over the lead from Technical Analysis early, easily drawing away from the field in the last furlong. Technical Analysis held on for second, Burning Ambition third. Nicest was fourth, with Queen Goddess, Closing Remarks, Cloudy Dawn, Flippant, and Emperess Josephine rounding out the order of finish.

The victory is trainer Chad Brown's fourth in the G1 stakes. He has also won with Dayatthespa (2012), Rushing Fall (2018), and Cambier Parc (2019).

The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:48.86. Find this race's chart here.

Shantisara paid $7.00, $3.80, and $3.00. Technical Analysis paid $4.20 and $3.80. Burning Ambition paid $6.20.

“I expected her to run really well because (of) the way she breezed last time (5 furlongs in 1:03.40 over the turf at Keeneland a week earlier). She improves all the time. She's coming along. This filly, she has a really good talent. She handled the turf really well here,” Baldo Hernandez, assistant to Chad Brown, said after the race.

“It was a good run. I was really pleased with the draw (post 3), to be honest. I thought the good horses were around me, and I was able to keep tracking them. She made a really good move around the turn – she came really handy around the turn – and when I asked her to make a move she responded well,” Prat told the Keeneland Press Office after the G1 stakes. “She broke well and I was able to tuck her in right away and she switched off nice. I was traveling super and, like I said, when it was time to go, she was there for me.”

Bred in Ireland by Oliver Donlon, Shantisara is by Coulsty (IRE) out of the Dalakhani mare Kharana (IRE). The 3-year-old filly is owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables LLC, and Robert LaPenta. She was consigned by Aguiar Bloodstock and sold to agent Federico Barberini for $13,171 at the 2020 Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up Sale. With her win in the G2 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, Shantisara has three wins in six starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of 9-5-2-0 and career earnings of $788,108.

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Neptune’s Storm Returns To Best Distance In Lure Stakes At Santa Anita

Neptune's Storm, a versatile son of prolific turf sire Stormy Atlantic, returns to a distance he fancies—one mile on grass—in next Saturday's $70,000 Lure Stakes for three-year-olds and up at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

The bay gelding is coming off an eventful ninth-place finish in the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at a mile and a quarter, the longest route ever attempted in his 23 career starts.

“A mile is a better distance for him,” said trainer Peter Miller, alluding to the tractable campaigner's record of five wins, one second, and one third over that venue.

Leading rider Flavien Prat, who won the restricted Wickerr Stakes on Neptune's Storm at a mile on Del Mar's turf course July 18, will be back aboard.

“He's a nice horse that tries hard,” said Miller, who has had Neptune's Storm for his last four races, the gelding having previously been trained by Richard Baltas and earlier Bill Morey.

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