Miller Looking At Pegasus After Anothertwistafate Triumphs In San Gabriel

Into the bridle and under restraint early, Anothertwistafate, in his second start for trainer Peter Miller, took command in mid-stretch en route to a 2 ¼-length score in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.  Ridden by Joel Rosario, the 5-year-old son of Scat Daddy got a mile and one eighth over the Santa Anita turf in 1:46.63.

A measured second, one length off early leader Bob and Jackie three furlongs out, Anothertwistafate reeled him in around the turn and took command approaching the sixteenth pole to win geared down.

“It was the first time with blinkers today and he broke really quick out of there,” said Rosario. “It looked like the other horse (Bob and Jackie) really wanted to go to the lead, so I had to just let it work out a little bit, let him sit off and he did, he was fine after I put him behind the other horse. He was good.

“Today having the blinkers on helped, he was more focused today. I never rode him before his last start, but he improved today.”

Originally based at Golden Gate Fields with Blaine Wright, Anothertwistafate came off a fourth-place finish as the 2-1 favorite in the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar Nov. 28 and was off at 5-2 in a field of seven older horses in the San Gabriel.  In his 10th overall start, he paid $7.60, $4.80 and $3.80.

Owned by Peter Redekop BC Ltd., Anothertwistafate, a full horse out of the First Defence mare Imprecation, notched his second graded stakes win and with the winner's share of $120,000, increased his earnings to $490,505.

“The first half mile, he was a little rank, then Joel got him to settle,” said Miller. “Joel recommended the blinkers after his last race.  He made the lead and was gawking around.  We wanted him to have a target (today).  This is my first win for Mr. Redekop.  It's a nice way to do it, in a Grade 2, $200,000.  We'll look at the Pegasus, both the turf and the dirt.  The dirt is more money, but obviously, there's tougher horses in there.”

Ridden by Heriberto Figueroa, Bob and Jackie held second by two lengths over Next Shares and paid $7.00 and $4.80 while off at 5-1.

Next Shares, who sat third throughout, held on by a nose over Multiplier and paid $4.40 to show with Jose Valdivia, Jr. up.

Even money favorite Count Again, who trailed throughout, was eased at the wire under Juan Hernandez, beaten by more than 20 lengths.

“Juan (Hernandez) said when he asked him, he didn't pursue,” said Count Again's trainer, Phil D'Amato.

Fractions on the race were 23.02, 46.95, 1:11.62 and 1:34.91.

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Con Lima Never Looks Back Winning Ginger Brew At Gulfstream

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Joseph Graffeo, Eric Nikolaus Del Toro and Troy Johnson's Con Lima continued to show her affinity for the turf with a front-running triumph in Saturday's $75,000 Ginger Brew at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

The one-mile Ginger Brew for 3-year-old fillies was the fourth of five stakes worth $400,000 in purses on an 11-race program highlighted by Mutasaabeq's victory in the $100,000 Mucho Macho Man for 3-year-olds, the start of Gulfstream's road to the March 28 Florida Derby (G1).

It was the first career stakes victory for Con Lima ($6.20), a daughter of Commissioner who finished second in back-to-back stakes taken off the turf last fall – the P.G. Johnson at Saratoga and Our Dear Peggy at Gulfstream. The winning time was 1:35.23 over a firm turf course.

“I think she's a quality filly that handles both surfaces, but definitely seems to have found her home especially on the Gulfstream turf course here,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “She's got good natural speed and it played to her strengths today.”

A similar gate-to-wire winner in her grass debut going one mile on the Gulfstream turf Dec. 12, Con Lima was once again eager for the lead in the Ginger Brew under jockey Paco Lopez, setting fractions of 23.95 seconds for the first quarter-mile and 47.55 for the half, pressed to her outside by Karakatsie with Inthewinnerscircle rating inside.

Karakatsie moved within a half-length on the turn but Con Lima remained in control and began to separate from the field once straightened for home, running six furlongs in 1:11.45 and drawing clear by 3 ¼ lengths. Honey Pants, the 3-2 favorite, edged Designer Ready for second while I Get It, who got squeezed far back early, rallied late to get up for fourth, snapping her three-race win streak. Inthewinnerscircle, Karakatsie, Viking Queen and Sweet Pearl completed the order of finish.

“Todd told me to judge the race, if she was keen to go or if we needed to sit behind, to go with her,” Lopez said. “She broke well and was a little strong. I had to hold her a little bit, but no one pressured us. I couldn't believe it, so I let her go and my filly finished very well.”

Con Lima now has two wins and two seconds in four starts since joining Pletcher's string last summer. Pletcher had three wins on the day, including Mutasaabeq in the Mucho Macho Man and 3-year-old maiden Winfromwithin in Race 8.

“We handle her carefully. She's got a lot of energy and we try to keep it channeled in the right direction,” Pletcher said of Con Lima. “She was actually very good in the paddock today. We stayed inside and stayed with the pony. She warmed up really nice, was good in the gate and broke alertly, and kind of towed Paco around there. He had a tougher time getting her back to the winner's circle than he did around the track.”

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Pete’s Play Call Hits Paydirt In Gravesend After Recent Claim By Rudy Rodriguez

Michael Dubb's Pete's Play Call started his 8-year-old campaign the same way he concluded 2020, saving his best for the stretch in registering a victory in Saturday's 62nd running of the $100,000 Gravesend for 4-year-olds and up at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y.

Pete's Play Call outkicked Stan the Man by 2 1/2 lengths to win his first start since being claimed for $62,500 out of a win on November 27 at the Big A. Now trained by Rudy Rodriguez, the gelded son of Munnings was forwardly placed in second position behind Happy Farm, who led the five-horse field through the opening quarter-mile in 23.09 seconds on the muddy and sealed main track.

Under jockey Jorge Vargas, Jr., Pete's Play Call overtook Happy Farm, with the half-clocked in 46.99, and held the advantage out of the turn, taking position near the center of the track. Stan the Man, the runner-up of the Grade 3 Fall Highweight Handicap last out on November 29 on the same track, made a late bid under rider Eric Cancel. But Pete's Play Call pressed to the wire, completing 6 ½ furlongs in a final time of 1:17.63.

“Rudy told me he was going to run big today and he did. All credit to him, he had him ready off the claim,” said Vargas, Jr., who won two races on the card. “I was pretty happy where I was and when I asked him, he took off. He's quick. I was just trying to keep him happy and where he was comfortable.”

Off at 4-1, Pete's Play Call [bred in Maryland by Mr. and Mrs. Charles McGinnes] returned $10.20 on a $2 win bet. He improved his career earnings to $648,421. It was his first stakes win since the Bonapaw in December 2019 at Fair Grounds.

“He was training very good. He's a hard-knocking horse,” Rodriguez said. “He's been doing very well since we claimed him. I thought we paid top dollar for him, but seeing him working in the morning, it looked like he was worth every penny.”

Stan the Man, owned by Long Lake Stable and trained by John Terranova, finished 3 ¼ lengths the best of Drafted for second. My Boy Tate, the 7-5 favorite, and Happy Farm completed the order of finish.

“He handled the track good,” Cancel said. “He's a good horse and goes with everything. He doesn't have any excuse. He just got beat by a horse that was ready to run and never gave up.

“I was comfortable with where I was and I made the move when I had to,” he added. “The horse reacted quick with it, but the horse that beat us never gave up.”

Live racing resumes Sunday at Aqueduct with a nine-race card headlined by the $100,000 La Verdad for New York-bred fillies and mares 4-year-olds and up in Race 8. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

 

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