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Four MATCH Series Races At Pimlico Draw 130 Nominations

The four stakes at Pimlico Race Course that kick off the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Championships Series (MATCH) attracted 130 nominations, among them many local runners that regularly compete in Maryland and other tracks in the region throughout the year.

This year's series begins May 15-16, and each of the six divisional legs—there are four divisions, all on dirt this year—will be held in Maryland with the exception of one stop at Colonial Downs in Virginia in late August. The MATCH Series concludes Dec. 26 at Laurel Park.

Note that entries for the Friday, May 15 card will be taken Sunday, May 9. Entries for May 16 will be taken Monday, May 10.

The May 15 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes program will include two MATCH events: the $250,000, Grade 3 Pimlico Special (3-Year-Olds and Up—Long Dirt division) and the $150,000, Grade 3 Allaire DuPont Stakes (Filly and Mare Long—Dirt division). On May 15, Preakness Stakes day, the $100,000 Runhappy Skipat Stakes (Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt division) and $150,000, Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Stakes (3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt division) are scheduled.

The Pimlico Special, at 1 3/16 miles, attracted 39 nominees including last year's winner, Harper's First Ride, who at the time was trained by Maryland-based Claudio Gonzalez but was sold before his start in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational in January of this year. Cordmaker, who is based at Laurel with trainer Rodney Jenkins, was third in the 2020 Pimlico Special and is coming off a victory in the Harrison Johnson Memorial Stakes in March at Laurel. Runnymoore Racing's Alwaysmining, a multiple stakes winner in Maryland based at Fair Hill Training Center, finished second in an open allowance race at Parx Racing for trainer A. Lands Trites in late March.

Among the locals nominated to the Allaire DuPont at 1 1/8 miles is BB Horses' Landing Zone, who is trained by Gonzalez. The 4-year-old Morning Line mare won four in a row last summer and fall, progressed to the stakes level and came away with a second and third at Laurel. Sonata Stable's Lucky Stride, trained by Maryland-based Mike Trombetta, won the Nellie Morse Stakes at Laurel in February and last November finished second in the Thirty Eight Go Go Stakes at Laurel.

Multiple stakes winner Anna's Bandit, who has been away since July 2020, is nominated to the six-furlong Runhappy Skipat. Owned by No Guts No Glory Farm and trained by John Robb, the 7-year-old Great Notion mare has won 17 of 36 starts and was third in the Grade III Barbara Fritchie Stakes at Laurel in the winter of 2020. Five Hellions Farm's Dontletsweetfoolya, who won her last five races, two of them stakes at Laurel, in 2020 for trainer Lacey Gaudet, has been away since her seventh-place finish in the Barbara Fritchie earlier this year. Parx-based Chub Wagon, owned by Daniel Lopez and George Chestnut and trained by Guadalupe Preciado, is five-for-five in her career and last out at Parx won the Unique Bella Stakes for Pennsylvania-breds by 7 1/2 lengths; her winning margins total more than 31 lengths.

The Filly and Mare Sprint—Dirt division has produced the overall MATCH Series champion since the series returned after 16 years on the shelf: Jessica Krupnick in 2018 and Bronx Beauty in 2019. MATCH wasn't held last year because of COVID-19 restrictions.

Hillside Equestrian Meadows' Laki, trained by Damon Dilodovico, was the MATCH Series champion in the 3-Year-Olds and Up Sprint—Dirt division in 2018 and 2019 and is among those nominated to the six-furlong Maryland Sprint. The 8-year-old Cuba gelding won the Grade III Frank J. De Francis Memorial Stakes at Pimlico in October 2020 and in April captured the Frank Whiteley Stakes at Laurel. Maryland-based Whereshetoldmetogo, trained by Brittany Russell for Madaket Stables, Ten Strike Racing, Michael Kisber and Black Cloud Racing, won three consecutive stakes at Laurel from November 2020 through March 13 of this year. The 6-year-old El Padrino gelding encountered trouble and was eased in the Frank Whiteley but had previously defeated Laki at Laurel.

The MATCH Series, the only one of its kind in racing, will feature 24 stakes—20 of them in Maryland and four at Colonial Downs—valued at $2.75 million. Bonus money will be $282,000 for 2021. Owners and trainers will compete for $63,000 in divisional bonuses and the overall MATCH Series champion will net $30,000 in bonuses for its owner and trainer.

In addition, the Maryland Horse Breeders Association will pay a $3,000 bonus to the breeder of the top points-earning Maryland-bred and $3,000 for the top points-earning Maryland-sired horse. If the top points-earner is both Maryland-bred and -sired, the breeder would get $6,000.

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Sisterson Sees Veteran Channel Cat On Upswing Going Into Man O’ War

Trainer Jack Sisterson will saddle Calumet Farm homebred Channel Cat in search of a first Grade 1 score in Saturday's $700,000 Man o' War, an 11-furlong inner turf test for older horses at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The 6-year-old English Channel horse made the grade under the care of newly minted Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher in the 2019 Grade 2 Bowling Green at Saratoga Race Course. The victory came as part of a profitable season in which the chestnut finished third in both the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth Park and the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at the Spa.

Transferred to Sisterson's care last year, Channel Cat finished a closing fifth in the nine-furlong Grade 2 Fort Lauderdale in December at Gulfstream Park and followed with an even fifth in the Grade 3 William L. McKnight traveling 1 1/2-miles at the same oval in January.

Last out, Channel Cat was a prominent second in the 12-furlong Grade 2 Elkhorn on April 17 on the Keeneland turf.

Sisterson said a revised training schedule for Channel Cat heading into the Elkhorn made a world of difference.

“We were disappointed with his effort in the McKnight in Florida. Usually, second off the layoff in our barn is a big step forward and not a regression,” said Sisterson. “I think he was breezing too fast in the mornings leading up to the McKnight, so we backed off on him and gave him two weeks off after that race to focus on the Elkhorn at Keeneland. We slowed his works right down and he thrived off that.

“His coat started to change and he put on weight,” added Sisterson. “He ran a great second in the Elkhorn and Corey Lanerie was really happy with him. He came out of that race and put on weight and looked better coming out of it than he did going into it.”

To win the Grade 1 event, Channel Cat will have to topple a field that includes the North American debut of Sovereign, a gate-to-wire winner of the 2019 Group 1 Irish Derby, and last year's Grade 1 Belmont Derby Invitational-winner Gufo.

Sisterson said he will leave race tactics in the capable hands of Hall of Famer John Velazquez, who will guide Channel Cat from post 5.

“The good thing with Channel Cat is that he can be forwardly placed or save ground and relax and come from off the pace,” said Sisterson. “A lot of people would agree that a European horse with speed is a lot different from an American horse with speed, so It will be interesting to see what Irad Ortiz, Jr. does with Sovereign, who has shown speed in Europe.”

Sisterson is hoping to saddle a trio of horses Saturday at Belmont, including Calumet Farm's Anejo, a first time starter by Freud out of the Thunder Gulch mare Tiffany Twisted.

Anejo, bred in the Empire State by SF Bloodstock, is listed as the first also-eligible entrant in a six-furlong turf sprint for state-bred maidens 3-years-old and up in Race 5. Luis Saez will have the call should Anejo draw into the field.

“He was such a big 2-year-old that we backed off on him and let him grow into his frame,” said Sisterson. “He's big, but he shows a lot of speed as well. He had been working forwardly on the dirt and we don't usually win first time out, but he showed enough foundation to get him going on Saturday if he gets in.”

The New York-bred sophomore colt, purchased for $150,000 at the 2019 Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Yearling Sale, is a half-sibling to multiple stakes winner Twisted Tom.

Sisterson will also be represented by Calumet Farm homebred Scarabea in Race 11, a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on the Widener turf for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. By American Pharoah, Scarabea is out of the multiple graded stakes winning Galileo mare Starstruck.

The well-bred chestnut, a half-sister to stakes winner Turf War, will make her fourth career start out of a closing fourth in a nine-furlong turf event at Keeneland on April 7.

“It may not be her best distance on Saturday. I think she's better at a mile and an eighth, but they might go a touch quicker up front at the shorter distance Saturday which would help her out,” said Sisterson.

Sisterson said a good effort on Saturday could propel Scarabea to the Grade 3,$200,000 Wonder Again, a nine-furlong turf test for sophomore fillies on June 3 at Belmont.

“She'll stay all day long and whether she breaks her maiden or not on Saturday, we'll see. If she does, we might try the Wonder Again,” said Sisterson. “If she doesn't, we'll be patient with her and look to break her maiden. She's definitely a filly that as she gets older and the races stretch out a bit, she could be a force in those longer distance turf races.”

Jose Lezcano is named to ride from post 3 in a field of 10.

Sisterson said Calumet Farm homebred Lexitonian is possible for the Grade 1, $1 million Hill 'N' Dale Metropolitan Handicap on Belmont Stakes Day on June 5, following a strong second in the Grade 1 Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day when defeated a head by Flagstaff.

“On his day, he can compete with the best of them. He's a fighter and he puts his heart on the line,” said Sisterson.

Lexitonian entered the Churchill Downs from an even fourth in his seasonal debut in an optional-claiming sprint at Gulfstream Park in March.

“The goal was always the Churchill Downs and he had time between starts and we were able to work him three times,” said Sisterson. “We knew second off the layoff is good with him. This was the first time since we've had him that he didn't win second time off the layoff for us, so we thought it would be a much improved performance, which it was.”

The 5-year-old Speightstown chestnut boasts a record of 17-4-2-2 with purse earnings of $465,182. Lexitonian made the grade in the 2019 Grade 3 Chick Lang at Pimlico Race Course.

Sisterson said the Metropolitan Handicap and the Grade 1, $350,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap, a six-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up on July 31 at the Spa, are potential targets.

“Timing wise, the Met Mile would be perfect,” said Sisterson. “If he trains forwardly we would consider it. There's also the Aristides [May 29] at Churchill as a prep for the Vanderbilt at Saratoga for him. I just want to space his races accordingly, so he can get the Grade 1 because I think he deserves it.”

Sisterson said True Timber, who was last seen winning the Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap at the Big A in December under Kendrick Carmouche, is enjoying some downtime.

“True Timber has been turned out at my barn here at Keeneland since we decided to give him a break,” said Sisterson. “He's a bright eyed, happy horse. Hopefully, we can get him back going this month and back to Aqueduct at the end of the year to defend his Cigar Mile.”

The 7-year-old Mineshaft bay sports a record of 29-5-5-9 with purse earnings in excess of $1.2 million.

Bon Raison, who finished sixth last out in the Cigar Mile, is set to return to training next week. The 6-year-old son of Raison d'Etat, a Kentucky homebred, has a career ledger of 45-11-4-7 with purse earnings of $682,034.

“Bon Raison will be back on the work tab in a week or two and will come to Saratoga during the summer with us,” said Sisterson.

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Cox-Trained Adventuring, Winner Of Bourbonette Oaks, Pointed To Black-Eyed Susan

Though he won't have a starter in next Saturday's 146th Preakness Stakes (G1), reigning Eclipse Award-winning trainer Brad Cox plans to run a handful of horses in other stakes over Preakness weekend at Pimlico Race Course.

Among them are Bourbonette Oaks winner Adventuring in the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) for 3-year-old fillies on Preakness eve, May 14. The daughter of Pioneerof the Nile ran in three straight off-the-turf races to begin her career with a third, a second and a victory before taking the Bourbonette over Turfway's Park's all-weather surface.

“She's training really well,” Cox said at Churchill Downs Thursday morning. “She had enough points to go in the Kentucky Oaks [G1], but we thought the Black-Eyed Susan made more sense. Plus she wasn't nominated to the Kentucky Oaks, so we'd have had an extra-large fee to run. But I really like her. She's out of a mare [Questing] who was a multiple Grade 1 winner at a mile and an eighth and a mile and a quarter, so I think the distance is something she's going to handle. Huge, huge pedigree. She's already a stakes-winner, but we need to hopefully get some graded wins.”

Cox said Dreamalildreamofu, winner of Turfway's Latonia Stakes in her prior start, and Gedridofwhatailesu are both being pointed to the $150,000 Allaire du Pont (G3) for fillies and mares 3 and up going 1 1/8 miles May 14. Getridofwhatailesu won the Pippin at Oaklawn Park before taking third in the Azeri (G2) won by stablemate and 2020 Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil, and finishing fourth in the Apple Blossom (G1) to front-running Letruska, with the Cox-trained two-time champion Monomoy Girl second.

“Dreamalildreamofu is coming off a synthetic race,” he said. “She's performed well on three different surfaces – turf, dirt, synthetic – so we have options with her. Getridofwhailesu was fourth in the Apple Blossom last time and is Grade 2-placed. She's a stakes winner and hopefully we can make her a graded-stakes winner. She's going great, and probably is going to get a little class relief. No Letruskas or Monomoy Girls in this group.”

Fair Grounds allowance winner T D Dance is being pointed for the $100,000 James W. Murphy for 3-year-olds on grass and French Empire the $100,000 Runhappy Skipat for older fillies and mares at six furlongs. Both races are part of the blockbuster Preakness undercard. A $20,000 claim last fall at Churchill Downs, French Empire has won four straight for Cox, most recently an Oaklawn allowance race.

French Empire came to Cox's stable a month ago after winning four straight races for Cipriano Contreras in the wake of being claimed for $20,000 last fall. She is entered in the Vagrancy (G3) Saturday at Belmont Park.

“She's training really well,” Cox said. “She actually is entered in the Vagrancy this weekend, but we decided to scratch and point for the Skipat. T D Dance is doing well, and I'm looking forward to giving him an opportunity in a stakes. Two races back he didn't perform quite as well as we were hoping. He was able to rebound and come back and win an allowance race.”

Cox won the top prize of $50,000 in the Maryland Jockey Club's Preakness weekend trainer bonus two years ago, when he also finished third and fourth in the Preakness Stakes with Owendale and Warrior's Charge, respectively. Cox finished in a tie with Steve Asmussen for second last year.

“I like it; it's cool,” Cox said of the program. “We won it two years ago, and it was a very nice bonus. It wasn't something we'd really pointed for. Then last year based off the morning line, I'd have said we had a big shot to win it. Last year we kind of pointed for it. This year, not as much, but it's very nice. If you run a couple and they run well, you definitely start watching the leaderboard, I can tell you that.”

West Point Thoroughbreds, John Ballantyne, William Freeman and Michael Valdes' Grade 3-placed Lady Traveler, most recently fourth in the Beaumont (G3) April 2 at Keeneland, is expected to make her next start in the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) for 3-year-old fillies Friday, May 14 at Pimlico Race Course.

A bay daughter of Grade 1 winner Quality Road, Lady Traveler is trained by Dale Romans who won the Black-Eyed Susan in back-to-back years with Keen Pauline (2015) and Go Maggie Go (2016) and most recently was second with Coach Rocks (2018). West Point was third with Tom Albertrani-trained Toasting in 2013.

“We're set to enter Lady Traveler in the Black-Eyed Susan,” West Point CEO Tom Bellhouse. “We've had some fun in the Black-Eyed Susan in the past. We had Toasting that hit the board and then Coach Rocks ran great a couple years ago. I know Dale likes the race.”

Lady Traveler is a half-sister to two-time Grade 1-winning turf multi-millionaire Heart to Heart, out of the Silver Deputy mare Ask the Question. She broke her maiden and was second in the Rags to Riches last fall in Kentucky, and opened 2021 rallying for second in the seven-furlong Forward Gal (G3) Jan. 30 at Gulfstream Park.

Since then she has finished off the board in a 1 1/8-mile optional claiming allowance on turf March 10 at Gulfstream and the seven-furlong Beaumont, beaten less than five lengths at odds of 17-1.

“She's a cool filly,” Bellhouse said. “She hasn't been able to put it all together yet, but she's got an amazing pedigree.”

West Point may have another Preakness weekend starter in Jaxon Traveler, a multiple stakes winner it owns with Marvin Delfiner and is trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen. Nominated to the $200,000 Chick Lang (G3) for 3-year-olds sprinting six furlongs, the Maryland-bred Jaxon Traveler broke his maiden on debut last fall at Pimlico and won the Maryland Juvenile Futurity in December at Laurel Park.

Jaxon Traveler suffered his only loss in five starts when he was beaten a head in the Gazebo March 20, a race where he needed to come from off the pace, before rebounding with a front-running triumph in the April 24 Bachelor. Both races were going six furlongs at Oaklawn Park.

“We're waiting to hear if Steve wants to come back that quick in the Chick Lang. The race is perfect for him, but he hasn't committed to us yet,” Bellhouse said. “I hope we run both of them. It would be a blast to come down next week and just have a great time.”

SF Racing's Bourbonette runner-up Spritz is scheduled to breeze this weekend over the main track at Keeneland with the $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) in mind, trainer Rodolphe Brisset said.

“If she works OK on Sunday, Spritz will be running in the Black-Eyed Susan,” Brisset said. “She'll have her last work Sunday depending on the weather. As of now, we're looking at working her on Sunday, shipping her on Monday night and we'll be there on Tuesday morning.”

Spritz, by Awesome Again out of the Holy Bull mare Holy Blitz, spent the winter racing over Turfway Park's all-weather surface. It was where she broke her maiden going 1 1/16 miles Feb. 26 and followed up with a game effort in the one-mile Bourbonette, beaten two lengths by Adventuring, who is also being pointed to the 1 1/8-mile Black-Eyed Susan.

“She's extremely well-bred. For her to finish second in a stakes was very good for her value as a broodmare,” Brisset said. “But, obviously, if we can be stakes placed or a stakes winner on the dirt, that would be even better.”

Other horses pointing to the Black-Eyed Susan are Army Wife, Beautiful Gift, Forever Boss, Iced Latte, Lady Traveler, Miss Leslie and Willful Woman.

Entries will be taken and post positions drawn for the Black-Eyed Susan Day program Sunday, May 9.

Brisset said plans call for Team Valor International's Australian-bred Victory Kingdom to breeze Friday at Keeneland for a start in the $100,000 The Very One for fillies and mares 3 and up sprinting five furlongs on the grass Friday, May 14.

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Tapwater, McCarthy Duo Top Marathon Santa Barbara Lineup

LNJ Foxwoods' Tapwater heads a field of eight fillies and mares going a marathon mile and one half on turf in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Santa Barbara Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, Tapwater will be making her second career graded stakes appearance.

Trainer Michael McCarthy's recent allowance winner Go Big Blue Nation will also be making her second stakes appearance and will command considerable attention with turf ace Umberto Rispoli aboard for the first time and McCarthy's Rideforthecause, a Grade 2 winner in Canada this past September, could also figure prominently as the leading money earner in the field.

A 5-year-old mare by Tapit, out of the Indian Charlie mare Fiji Moon, Tapwater was most recently fourth, beaten 3 ¼ lengths by highly respected Charmaine's Mia going one mile on turf in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes at Santa Anita on April 3. A sharp classified allowance winner going a mile on grass two starts back on Feb. 12 with Flavien Prat, she'll be reunited with the meet's leading man on Saturday and will be stretching out off of six consecutive races at one mile.

Tapwater, who will be making her third start of the year, brings an overall mark of 9-3-2-0 and earnings of $154,940.

Owned by Cannon Thoroughbreds, LLC, Go Big Blue Nation flew late under apprentice Alexis Centeno to win a second condition allowance on April 4 at a mile and one quarter on turf by a half length and will hope to employ similar tactics when ridden by Rispoli for the first time on Saturday. Claimed out of a maiden $75,000 win eight starts back on Jan. 12, 2020, Go Big Blue Nation, a 4-year-old filly by Animal Kingdom, earned a career best 87 Beyer Speed figure and rates a huge chance stretching out a quarter of a mile.

Trained in Canada by Gail Cox, Rideforthecause was an even sixth, beaten 2 ½ lengths by multiple graded stakes winner Mucho Unusual in her first start for McCarthy, the Grade 3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes at a mile one eighth on turf Dec. 27. Subsequently seventh, beaten seven lengths in an even effort by Charmaine's Mia in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine, Rideforthecause will be ridden for the second time in a row by Mario Gutierrez.

A winner of the Grade 2 Canadian at a mile and one eighth over the Woodbine turf four starts back on Sept. 12, Rideforthecause was subsequently fourth as the 5-2 favorite in Woodbine's Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes Oct. 18 and will hope to regain her Canadian form in the Santa Barbara.

Phil D'Amato's Carpe Vinum, a close third to Go Big Blue Nation April 4, pressed the pace and was fifth, beaten 3 ¼ lengths two starts back going a mile and one half on turf in the Grade 3 Astra Stakes Jan. 17 and thus rates a solid chance in what will be her third start of the meet. Owned by MyRacehorse and Joey Platts, Carpe Vinum, a 4-year-old daughter of Carpe Diem, will be ridden for the third consecutive time by Jose Valdivia, Jr.

GRADE III SANTA BARBARA STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS
IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

Catch the Eye—Kent Desormeaux—122
Rideforthecause—Mario Gutierrez—124
Tapwater—Flavien Prat—122
Carpe Vinum—Jose Valdivia, Jr.—122
Star of Africa—Abel Cedillo—122
Neige Blanche—Juan Hernandez—124
Go Big Blue Nation—Umberto Rispoli—122
Dynapower—Cesar Ortega—122

First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 1 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

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