Tag: Racing

Cal-Bred The Chosen Vron Has Just Three Rivals In Lazaro Barrera Stakes

Owner/trainer Eric Kruljac's talented California-bred The Chosen Vron heads a field of four sophomores going 6 ½ furlongs in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Lazaro Barrera Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

Named for the late Hall of Fame trainer who conditioned 1978 Triple Crown winner Affirmed, the Barrera, originally run at Hollywood Park in 1981, will be run for the 41st time and for the eighth time at Santa Anita on Saturday.

Juddmonte Farms' homebred Laurel River, a sharp 6 ½-furlong maiden winner in his second start on April 3 rates a solid chances as well.

The Chosen Vron, a chestnut gelding by the recently deceased Vronsky, was a scintillating first-out maiden winner at Santa Anita on Dec. 27, taking a 6 ½-furlong maiden special versus California-breds by 6 ¾ lengths.  Subsequently third, beaten 3 ¼ lengths by top sophomore Concert Tour going seven panels in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes Feb. 6, The Chosen Vron was much the best in a 1 ¼-length win versus statebreds in the 6 ½-furlong Echo Eddie Stakes April 3.

Owned by Kruljac, Robert Fetkin, John Sondereker and Richard Thornburgh, The Chosen Vron is out of the Tiz Wonderful mare Tiz Molly.  With two wins and a third from three starts, he has earnings of $150,600.

Trained by Bob Baffert, Laurel River, a Kentucky-bred colt by Into Mischief, out of the Empire Maker mare Calm Water, Laurel River pressed the early pace en route to a resounding 4 ¼ length maiden score, earning a Barerra-best 92 Beyer Speed figure in the process.  In what will be his third start, Laurel River figures to be head and head in the betting with The Chosen Vron.

GRADE 3 LAZARO BARRERA, WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS
IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 3 of 10  Approximate post time 1:30 p.m. PT

  1. Wipe the Slate- Mario Gutierrez – 120
  2. Laurel River – Abel Cedillo-120
  3. The Chosen Vron –Umberto Rispoli- 124
  4. I'll Stand Taller – Juan Hernandez-120

Early first post time for a 10-race card on Saturday, Preakness Stakes Day, is at 12:30 p.m.  PT. Admission gates will open early at 7 a.m., with Infield admission gates open at 9 a.m.  For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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Malathaat Records First Breeze At Belmont Park Since Winning Kentucky Oaks

Shadwell Stable's undefeated Malathaat recorded her first breeze since capturing the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks with a half-mile move on Thursday morning over the Belmont Park main track for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher.

Under mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the low 60s at the Elmont, N.Y., track, the daughter of Curlin out of Grade 1-winner Dreaming of Julia travelled the four-furlong distance in 49.89 over a fast main track under Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez in company with stablemate and fellow Shadwell color bearer Mahaamel.

“She breezed well,” said Pletcher's assistant trainer Byron Hughes. “Johnny worked her and was happy with the way she went. We had her in company with Mahaamel and they both went head-and-head and both looked good. We just wanted her moving well and doing it well within herself and she accomplished all of that.”

Undefeated in five starts, Malathaat gave Velazquez his 2,000th Belmont Park victory in her debut last October before notching stakes wins in the Tempted and Grade 2 Demoiselle at Aqueduct. She parlayed her winning form into her sophomore campaign with a victory in the Grade 1 Ashland on April 3 at Keeneland.

Mahaamel, by Into Mischief and out of the graded stakes winning Bustin Stones mare Hot Stones, earned a 92 Beyer Speed Figure in her runner-up effort to First Captain in her April 24 debut sprinting seven furlongs on Big Sandy. She was purchased for $700,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

A next start for Malathaat has still yet to be decided.

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Collaborate Back To One Turn After Ambitious Try In Florida Derby

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. knew he was taking a big gamble when he entered lightly raced Collaborate in the Florida Derby (G1) off an impressive maiden win. And the result, a fifth-place finish, validated his initial concern that perhaps it was too much too soon.

“We were trying to get a little adventurous,” Joseph acknowledged of the one-shot, all-or-nothing attempt to reach the Kentucky Derby (G1). “Maybe it was a little quick off a maiden win. But I still believe in him. I haven't lost faith in him.”

With the Triple Crown no longer a consideration, Joseph has devised a new campaign for the 3-year-old, starting with Saturday's $75,000 The Roar at Gulfstream Park. Collaborate will face five rivals in the 6 1/2-furlong stakes, including two of his own stablemates.

“We're going back to one turn,” Joseph said. “I think that's going to be his strength.”

Collaborate, owned by Three Chimneys Farm and e Five Racing Thoroughbreds, created an instant buzz in late February when he broke his maiden by more than 12 lengths in a one-turn mile event. That performance was so electric that Collaborate was sent off as the 9-2 second choice in the Florida Derby.

But Collaborate was unable to duplicate his maiden win, faded late in the 1 1/8-mile stakes, and lost by nearly 15 lengths to Known Agenda.

Joseph said the colt's outside post position (9) was not to blame.

“If he had carried himself to the sixteenth pole and got beat by three or four lengths, I could have blamed the draw,” Joseph said. “But he just came up empty. He went from traveling good to empty. I just feel maybe the two turns got to him.”

Saturday's sprint stakes should be more to Collaborate's liking, Joseph said. And it could position him for major stakes this summer. Joseph has set the Allen Jerkens Stakes (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 28 as one potential target for the son of Into Mischief.

“You want to think ambitiously with horses,” Joseph said. “If this horse shows up, he'll be very tough to beat. He has to win Saturday to justify going on any further. He has to prove he can beat horses. But this is going to be a test.”

Collaborate, who will be ridden for the first time by Edwin Gonzalez, could face his stiffest challenge from two of his stablemates, Moonlite Strike and Lauda Speed. Sonata Stable's Moonlite Strike ran third in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) while Stefania Farms' Lauda Speed finished third in the six-furlong Hutcheson Stakes at Gulfstream on March 6. Joseph said he fully intends to race all three horses in The Roar.

“All three are going to run,” Joseph said. “This race was the target for all three. But we've got to beat the other three horses, too.”

The rest of the field includes Penny Lopez's Oh Steve, fresh off a maiden win, Arindel Stable's Gatsby, which will be seeking his first stakes win, and Just for Fun Stable's Warrior's Pride, who is exiting a win in the Texas Glitter Stakes at five furlongs on the turf.

Of his three horses, Joseph said “I think Collaborate has shown the most ability of all of them. But the others have all proven themselves and have more experience.”

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