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Going Global Fights Off Stubborn Closing Remarks In Providencia Stakes

A resolute Going Global notched her third consecutive stakes win by taking Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Providencia Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., by a neck under high-riding Flavien Prat. Trained by Phil D'Amato, the 3-year-old Irish-bred filly got a mile and one eighth on grass in 1:48.50.

Content to sit a stalking fourth down the backside as Sensible Cat set leisurely fractions, Going Global was about 2 ½ lengths off the leader at the three furlong marker, kicked into gear two-wide turning for home and outran Closing Remarks late in a game effort.

“We got bumped around at the start, but then we settled in and we found a good spot,” said Prat, who's been aboard for all three of Going Global's stateside wins. “The pace was slow, but when it was time to run, she responded really great. She keeps getting better and better. We won at six furlongs, a mile and now a mile and an eighth.”

Owned by CYBT, Michael Dubb, Saul Gervitz, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano, Going Global stretched out a furlong off a three-quarter-length win in the one mile China Doll Stakes March 6 and paid $3.40, $2.40 and $2.20 as the 3-5 favorite among a field of seven sophomore fillies.

“I always thought a lot of this filly's ability,” said D'Amato. “It has just kind of been one race after another to assess how far she'd go. Last time she went a mile, I went down there to watch her cool out and she was just as cool as a cucumber, she wouldn't have blown out a match. I had a good feeling that this race at a mile and an eighth was well within her reach.”

Three for three in Southern California, Going Global now has a pair of graded stakes victories and four wins from seven overall starts. With the winner's share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $188,792.

One of two California-breds in the race, Closing Remarks ran a tremendous race at the rail through the stretch and finished 3 ¼ lengths clear of stablemate Sensible Cat. Off at 4-1 with Umberto Rispoli, Closing Remarks paid $3.40 and $2.80.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Sensible Cat, also a fellow Cal-bred, was off at 8-1 and paid $3.40 to show.

Fractions on the race were 24.38, 49.00, 1:13.35 and 1:37.02.

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Red-Hot Rosario Rides Kimari To Her Initial Grade 1 Victory In Madison Stakes

Winning his fourth consecutive graded stakes on Saturday's program at Keeneland in Lexington, Ky., Joel Rosario rode Ten Broeck Farm's Kimari to a popular victory in the Grade 1 Madison Stakes. The 4-year-old filly by Munnings came from just off the pace to win by about a length as the 3-5 favorite, covering seven furlongs on a fast main track in 1:21.53. She paid $3.40 to win.

Estilo Talentoso, a 50-1 outsider, and Bell's the One finished in a dead heat for second, with Sanenus fourth and pacesetter Mundaye Call fifth in the field of seven older fillies and mares.

Trained by Wesley Ward, Kimari was winning for the sixth time in 10 career starts. Two of her losses came at Royal Ascot in England, where she finished second in the Group 2 Queen Mary Stakes in 2019 and second again in the Group 1 Commonwealth Cup in 2020. Kimari has won on turf or dirt and on fast tracks and sloppy tracks. She was coming off an easy win in the slop at Oaklawn in the Spring Fever Stakes on Feb. 21, her first start since a third-place finish in the Music City Stakes on turf at Kentucky Downs.

The Madison victory was her first in a Grade 1 race.

Rosario had Kimari in a perfect spot throughout the Madison, sitting just off the lead of Mundaye Call through opening fractions of :22.90, :45.58 and 1:09.29. She took command inside the furlong pole and held sway by three-quarters of a length.

Rosario earlier won the G2 Appalachian Stakes on turf aboard Jouster for Todd Pletcher, the G2 Commonwealth aboard Flagstaff for John Sadler and the G1 Ashland Stakes aboard Malathaat for Pletcher.

Post-race quotes:

Joel Rosario (winning rider of Kimari)

“I wanted to sit a little bit behind the other horses. After she threw her head around a little bit, she was fine. (After she settled), she was running for me then, comfortable, just waiting to let her go.”

Wesley Ward (winning trainer)

“She was a little bit rank. She broke better than she usually does, which put her right into the race. On paper, there really wasn't a lot of speed up front. Everything went our way. As soon as she turned for home, he (Rosario) started riding her. I was a little worried the last part; I wasn't sure seven-eighths (of a mile) is really her game. But this is her track, and this guy (Rosario) is on fire. So we had all the luck with us today.”

Corey Lanerie (rider of Bell's the One, who finished in a dead heat for second with Estilo Talentoso)

“I was very proud of her. Neil (Pessin) brought her over and she was ready, as ready as you can get one for not running. She ran her heart out for me. I'm disappointed we didn't win but very happy with the way she ran. I'm looking forward to her next race, I think she's going to improve more and more.”

Neil Pessin (trainer of Bell's the One)

“(The winner) had a race on us this year. We were coming off the bench. That and maybe if we could have bounced to the outside instead of being inside between horses. I think she's a little better if she's out. That being said, the winner ran a big race. Hopefully we can turn the tables on her over at Churchill (in the Derby City Distaff-G1 on May 1.).”

Paco Lopez (rider of Estilo Talentoso)

“Ran a huge race.”

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After Scratch Of Mr. Buff, Modernist Proves Best In Excelsior Stakes

Pam and Martin Wygod's Modernist pressed the pace and pounced to a 2 1/2-length victory in Saturday's Grade 3, $150,000 Excelsior, a nine-furlong test for older horses at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and piloted by Junior Alvarado, the 4-year-old Uncle Mo colt prevailed as the youngest horse in a field of six veteran routers.

The complexion of the race changed when Chester and Mary Broman's New York homebred Mr. Buff, installed as the 4-5 morning line favorite, was scratched on Saturday morning after receiving treatment for colic symptoms.

“He had a little colic,” trainer John Kimmel said. “He's fine now and acting like nothing ever happened. It's nothing serious but it was unfortunate timing.”

Kimmel said the 7-year-old Mr. Buff, a 17-time winner with more than $1.3 million in purse earnings, will target the Grade 3 Westchester on May 1 at Belmont Park.

Backsideofthemoon, a 9-year-old gelding piloted by Trevor McCarthy, took command into the first turn in the Excelsior as Modernist, Limonite and Tintoretto jostled for position behind the veteran pacesetter through an opening quarter-mile in 25.54 seconds.

Modernist pressed the pace from second down the backstretch as multiple graded stakes-placed Backsideofthemoon, a veteran of 50 career starts, clung stubbornly to a diminishing lead.

The modest pace battle continued into the final turn as the tightly-packed group began to come alive with Grumps Little Tots launching an outside bid and Haikal, the 2019 Grade 3 Gotham winner, following his run.

Modernist was asked for his best late in the turn and took the lead as a rail-riding Limonite waited for racing room with Haikal looming large on the outside. Inside the final eighth, Modernist surged clear and powered through the wire in a final time of 1:54.38 on the fast main track. Haikal completed the exacta by 3 3/4-lengths over Limonite. Rounding out the order of finish were Backsideofthemoon, Grumps Little Tots and Tintoretto.

The victory marked the second graded stakes win in as many days at Aqueduct for Alvarado and Mott, who combined to win Friday Grade 3 Distaff with Paris Lights.

Alvarado said the scratch of Mr. Buff meant he would utilize a more prominent approach with Modernist.

“I knew whatever would happen at the gate, I had to be a little more aggressive and forwardly placed,” said Alvarado. “ Even though we had a slow break, I had to use him a little to put myself in that position, and I think that helped.”

Alvarado said he was confident throughout aboard Modernist, who entered the Excelsior from a second in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Challenger on March 6 at Tampa Bay Downs.

“He helped me get my position in the first turn and after that I was just a passenger,” said Alvarado. “I was just waiting to turn for home to ask him and he kicked on very nicely.

“At the quarter-pole, when I asked him to run, he picked it up so quickly that he didn't even have a chance to switch leads,” added Alvarado. “Then, I felt him running faster and I didn't want to badger him to switch leads until we passed the eighth pole. I pulled a little on my inside reins and then he switched leads and kept on. Nothing to be worried about.”

Modernist, a third-out maiden winner last January at the Big A, enjoyed a profitable sophomore season winning the Grade 2 Risen Star and finishing third in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby at Fair Grounds ahead of an off-the-board effort in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes.

It was the second Excelsior victory for Mott, who captured the 1991 renewal with Chief Honcho. Mott's New York-based assistant Leana Willaford said she was pleased with the confident ride.

“We told Junior, 'Don't take anything away coming easy,'” said Willaford. “I was really happy with him. He's matured both physically and mentally. I think he's going to have a good year.”

Bred in Kentucky by the Wygod Family, Modernist banked $82,500 in victory while improving his record to 9-3-1-2. He returned $5.30 for a $2 win ticket.

Live racing resumes Thursday at the Big A with an eight-race card. First post is 1:20 p.m. Eastern.

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Fourth Win Of The Day: Rosario Executes Perfectly-Timed Ashland Run Aboard Malathaat

Joel Rosario is on fire this Saturday at Keeneland. The veteran jockey orchestrated his fourth win on the card, and third straight, with a late-running nose triumph aboard 3-2 favorite Malathaat in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes. Owned by the late Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell operation, the 3-year-old daughter of Curlin and Grade 1 winner Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy) has now won all four of her career starts, and Saturday's victory earned her 100 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

“She has a beautiful stride,” Rosario said. “This morning talking with (trainer Todd Pletcher), he told me exactly how to ride her. It looked like (the leader) was getting away from me but I knew my filly would be there for me.”

The leggy Malathaat was in a joint fourth position early on in the Ashland. She trailed six lengths behind leader Simply Ravishing through fractions of :24.26 and :48.56, Rosario patiently biding his time and keeping the lightly-raced filly on the outside of rivals.

Pass The Champagne made a big move around the far turn and stole away to a four-length lead at the top of the short stretch, but Rosario was getting Malathaat into high gear. Though Malathaat changed leads late and seemed rather green, Rosario had timed his run perfectly and nailed Pass the Champagne on the wire by a nose. She completed 1 1/16 miles over Keeneland's fast main track in 1:42.94.

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet, Malathaat was a $1.05 million yearling purchase at the Keeneland September sale. Undefeated in four career starts, Malathaat has now earned over $400,000 and is guaranteed a spot in the starting gate for the April 30 Kentucky Oaks beneath the Twin Spires in Louisville, Ky.

“I can't put it into words,” said an emotional Rick Nichols, Vice President and General Manager of winning owner Shadwell Stable. “I am sure (Sheikh Hamdan) is up there with a big smile on his face looking down on us. We really needed this.”

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