Tom Pedulla presents five takeaways from the 147th Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve on Saturday at Churchill Downs:
Tag: Racing
SLIDESHOW: Get to Know 2021 Kentucky Derby Winner Medina Spirit
Medina Spirit won the 2021 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve by a half-length May 1 at Churchill Downs to give Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert his record seventh win in the race and Hall of Fame jockey
Madone Makes Impressive Return In Senorita Stakes
In a roughly run race, jockey Juan Hernandez orchestrated a picture-perfect trip for comebacking Madone, as she saved ground throughout and unleashed an impressive turn of foot to take Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Senorita Stakes by one length at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Owned by Kaleem Shah, Inc. and trained by Simon Callaghan, Madone got a flat mile on turf in 1:35.17.
With favored Closing Remarks shuffled to the rear of an 11-horse field after clipping heels shortly after the start, longshots Stressed and Nimbostratus slugged it out on the front end, with Nimbostratus fairly running off with Heriberto Figueroa leaving the half mile pole.
All the while, Hernandez had Madone, idle since the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Juvenile Turf Nov. 6 at Keeneland, under a snug hold at the rail while a joint third around the first turn with Sensible Cat.
Heading to the far turn, Hernandez was patient and when Nimbostratus drifted out turning for home, he shot the gap between her and Stressed and Madone responded with a solid late kick that kept both the original second place finisher Golden and Closing Remarks at bay late.
“I was telling Simon that this filly came to run today because she broke really sharp out of the gate,” said Hernandez, who collected his second stakes win on the day. “She actually put herself in a really good position, behind the speed and then I was saving ground.
“Around the quarter pole, I was loaded. I had a (lot of) horse and I was just waiting for some space to open and come through. I found a spot and then I asked her, she kicked really well…She is a nice filly.”
Unbeaten in three starts at one mile on turf, two of them in ungraded stakes, Madone tasted defeat for the first time when eighth, beaten 5 ½ lengths at Keeneland on Nov. 6. Ridden for the first time today by Hernandez, she was off as the 5-2 second choice among 11 sophomore fillies and paid $7.80, $4.00 and $3.20.
“We thought she was ready although, you never quite know,” said Callaghan. “It's just easier to get them ready to run on turf than it is on dirt. So we were confident her fitness level was where it needed to be and Juan gave a perfect ride. She broke well, put herself in a good position, and she had a good turn of foot when it was needed, that was fun.”
A Kentucky-bred filly by the Medaglia d'Oro stallion Vancouver, Madone is out of the Cherokee Run mare Indian Love Call. In notching her first graded stakes win, Madone is now four for five and with the winner's share of $60,000, increased her earnings to $211,300.
Ridden by Jose Valdivia, Jr., Golden was full of run while in behind horses at the top of the lane and finished very well to be second, a half length in front of Closing Remarks, but Golden was disqualified for taking the path of the original sixth place finisher, Javanica, a sixteenth of a mile out and was placed sixth.
An unlucky Closing Remarks, who rallied six-wide under Victor Espinoza turning for home, was moved up to second and paid $3.00 and $2.80 while off as the 9-5 favorite.
Wide throughout, Sweetest Angel, originally fourth, was moved up to third and paid $5.80 to show while off at 11-1 with Edwin Maldonado.
Fractions on the race were 23.85, 47.05, 1:10.88 and 1:23.08.
With the Senorita carded as the 10th and final race, a Kentucky Derby Day on-track crowd of 9,659 wagered $1.8 million, contributing to a robust Derby Day handle of $15,490,702.
First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m.
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Magic Attitude Rallies From Last To Win Sheepshead Bay
Lael Stable's Magic Attitude rallied from last of six to capture Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Sheepshead Bay, an 11-furlong inner turf test for older fillies and mares, at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.
Trained by Arnaud Delacour and patiently piloted by Trevor McCarthy, Magic Attitude saved ground at the back of the pack as graded stakes winner Antoinette led the field through splits of 25.27, 51.03 and 1:17.05 on the firm turf.
Mutamakina stalked from second position down the backstretch under Jose Lezcano but it was Always Shopping, with Joe Bravo up, who made the first run at the leader with a menacing move outside rivals into the final turn.
Antoinette was asked for more as pressure arrived from Always Shopping, and Mutamakina positioned off the rail to launch her bid. But it was Magic Attitude, angled off the rail inside of Orglandes and out to the center of the track, who saved her best run for last to pick off her rivals one-by-one for a powerful three-length score in a final time of 2:14.32.
Delacour said Belmont's inner turf course is ideal for Magic Attitude, who entered the Sheepshead Bay from a close seventh in the Grade 2 Hillsborough on March 6 at Tampa Bay Downs.
“They weren't going fast, but there's no other way to really ride her,” said Delacour. “She needs to be switched off behind, and she has an explosive turn-of-foot, so it's nice to train a filly of that caliber.
“She likes it at Belmont,” he added. “It's more like the European style for her. She can take her time, get balanced, and then produce acceleration. Last time nothing really worked out for her that day. She was really edgy in the post parade and in the paddock. Usually, she is really relaxed, like she was here. I knew that wasn't the best set up, but she probably needed that race.”
Magic Attitude launched her career in France with trainer Fabrice Chappet, capturing the Group 3 Prix Vanteaux at Longchamp last May and finishing second to Tawkeel in the Group 1 Prix Saint Alary at Chantilly in June.
Transferred to the care of Delacour in the fall, Magic Attitude made a winning North American debut under Hall of Famer Javier Castellano in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational, part of NYRA's Turf Triple Series for fillies, on September 19. She completed her season with a third in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup in October at Keeneland.
Saturday's stylish score marked the fourth win on the card for McCarthy, who was full of praise for the talented filly.
“When Javier rode her, he didn't get aggressive with her,” said McCarthy. “In the stretch, he just gathered her, let her run and get into her rhythm, which is what she loves. She impressed me today.”
Mutamakina, who stalled in mid-stretch, re-rallied to earn place money by a half-length over Always Shopping and My Sister Nat. Rounding out the order of finish were Antoinette and Orglandes.
Lezcano, aboard the runner-up Mutamakina, felt the slow pace hampered his chances.
“She broke very well. No one wanted to go to the front, so I let her be where she was,” said Lezcano. “When [Always Shopping] came around the backside, I had to push a little early. I think if the race had set up better for her, she may have beat the other filly.”
Bred in Great Britain by Katsumi Yoshida, Magic Attitude banked $110,000 in victory while improving her record to 10-4-1-2. She returned $11 on a $2 win wager.
Victory in the Belmont Oaks qualified Magic Attitude for considerable bonus money should she win the Grade 2, $750,000 New York, going 1 ¼ miles on June 4 at Belmont; or the Grade 1, $600,000 Flower Bowl, at 1 3/8 miles on September 4 at Saratoga.
The “New York Stakes Turf Bonus” will provide $315,000 to the owner and $35,000 to the trainer of any previous winner of the filly Turf Triple series races – Belmont Oaks, Saratoga Oaks or Jockey Club Oaks – who captures the 2021 edition of the New York.
Additionally, the “Flower Bowl Bonus” will provide $300,000 to the owner and $30,000 to the trainer of any previous winner of a filly Turf Triple series race who wins the Flower Bowl, a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” event offering a berth in the Grade 1 Filly and Mare Turf in November at Del Mar.
Live racing continues Sunday at Belmont with a nine-race card and a 1 p.m. Eastern first post. The slate is highlighted by the Grade 2, $200,000 Ruffian for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up going one mile on the main track in Race 8 at 4:40 p.m.
Starting on May 1, Belmont Park re-opened to a limited number of spectators. All admission must be purchased in advance at nyra.com/belmont/tickets/.
For comprehensive information on health and safety protocols in effect for the Belmont Park spring/summer meet, please visit: https://www.nyra.com/belmont/visit/plan-your-visit.
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