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‘Resurrect An Old Champion’: Beauty Generation Chasing Third Hong Kong Mile Victory

David Hayes will attempt to emulate the career-ending Cox Plate glories of retired Australian warhorse Fields Of Omagh on Sunday, when he sends out Beauty Generation in an attempt to annex a third HK$25 million (US$3.23 million) Grade 1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile at Sha Tin.

Hayes famously sent Fields Of Omagh into retirement after the 9-year-old snared Australia's premier G1 weight-for-age contest – the Cox Plate – at Moonee Valley in 2006 to cap his career in a blaze of glory.

The comparisons to Beauty Generation, twice Hong Kong Horse of the Year, are not lost on Hayes, who inherited the decorated 8-year-old after John Moore's retirement last year.

In two runs for Hayes, the 2017 and 2018 Hong Kong Mile winner has had his colors lowered by Hong Kong's boom galloper Golden Sixty, dead-heated for second in the G3 Celebration Cup (1400m, seven furlongs) before running sixth in the G2 Oriental Watch Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m, one mile).

Fields Of Omagh had won just one of 12 starts before tackling – and conquering – the Cox Plate for a second victory. Hayes took over the gelding from Tony McEvoy after returning to Australia from Hong Kong in 2005.

Hayes retains faith Beauty Generation can revive the uplifting memories of Fields Of Omagh's farewell performance.

“It would be wonderful to win with him, especially if you could resurrect an old champion like Beauty Generation,” Hayes said after the gelding cantered on the inner track at Sha Tin on Thursday.

“He reminds me – and he's more high-profile – of an old Fields Of Omagh going into his last Cox Plate, doing everything right but overlooked and under-rated by the market.

“This horse is going to start well overs which is quite ironic because up until the last 12 months, he's been favorite in everything he's raced in.

“The guy who rides him, Romain (Clavreul), who has ridden him all his life, says he feels as good as ever, which is really encouraging.

“We've taken a fresh approach. We elected not to give him a lead-up race or a trial. He's just had three nice gallops on the course proper over the last month and I'm really happy with his level of fitness and he looks fantastic.”

Beauty Generation finished third in last year's Hong Kong Mile behind Japan's Admire Mars, who returns to defend his crown.

Hayes said a decision on Beauty Generation's future would not necessarily hinge on Sunday's performance.

“If he runs competitive, he'll certainly keep racing on,” he said.

“If he disappointed, it (retirement) would be considered, but I would think they would love to run him in the 1400m G1 (the Queens Silver Jubilee Cup) that he won last year – his last win.

“But if he's racing well, I can't see any reason why he wouldn't keep going.”

Beauty Generation will start from barrier three under Zac Purton as he attempts to match Good Ba Ba's feat (2007-09) of winning the Mile three times.

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No Change In 2018 Santa Anita Derby Results As Stewards Dismiss Complaint In Justify/Hoppertunity Case

Justify's win in the 2018 Santa Anita Derby, and that of stablemate Hoppertunity in the 2018 Tokyo City Cup, will stand. The Santa Anita board of stewards voted Wednesday to dismiss a California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) complaint into the results of both races without any change in the final order of finish. The Board brought the complaint as part of a settlement agreement in a civil suit from Ruis Racing, which owned Bolt d'Oro, runner-up to Bob Baffert-trained Justify in the Santa Anita Derby.

The CHRB faced public outcry when a New York Times report revealed that post-race samples from both horses contained scopolamine, but that the board voted in a secretive, closed-door meeting not to pursue action against trainer Bob Baffert. CHRB equine medical director Dr. Rick Arthur advised the board that several other horses also showed levels of scopolamine in their systems around the same time, which led him to believe the tests were the result of environmental contamination. Scopolamine can sometimes be found as a result of exposure to jimson weed, which grows in California and may sometimes end up in hay or bedding.

“Even if this panel were to disagree with the CHRB's decision to dismiss these matters or the way the CHRB handled the situation it cannot be argued that the CHRB lacked the authority to do so,” read the stewards' decision. “The law specifically allows such actions to take place and the CHRB followed the law.”

Stewards heard evidence from the CHRB and connections of both horses on Oct. 29. The horses' connections went to court in an attempt to block a stewards' hearing on the 2020 CHRB complaint but were unsuccessful.

The complaint brought this year after the Ruis civil suit focused only on whether Justify and Hoppertunity should be disqualified. It was not designed to impose sanctions on Baffert or any other individual.

In a written explanation, the stewards said their decision came down to the timing of changes to the classification of scopolamine. At the time of the races, scopolamine was a Class 3 drug by California rule, which would have required automatic disqualification of a horse regardless of the reason it was present in a post-race sample. However, by the time of the closed meeting for the board to discuss the Justify finding, the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI) had changed the classification of the substance to a Class 4. The CHRB voted on in a regular, open meeting held on Aug. 23, 2018 to adopt an amendment to its drug rules which put them in line with ARCI guidelines — including, among other things, changing scopolamine from a Class 3 to a Class 4. The presence of Class 4 or 5 substances in horses post-race does not include automatic disqualification as a penalty.

It was in the closed-door executive session portion of that same Aug. 23 meeting that the board heard information about the scopolamine positives, including that of Justify, and voted to dismiss the whole thing without filing a complaint or referring the matter to the stewards for a hearing. CHRB rules at the time permitted the board to handle the case this way, with no public disclosure.

Wednesday's stewards' decision acknowledges that Arthur warned the board during that executive session “there might be a perceived lack of transparency should the CHRB fail to go public with the decision and that it would probably not remain a secret.”

The decision went on to question how the outcome may have been different had it gone through the normal channels for a post-race finding and done so more quickly.

“It is the stewards' opinion that had this board of stewards heard the Justify and Hoppertunity complaints prior to Aug. 23, 2018, both horses would have been disqualified.”

See the full stewards' decision here.

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Pletcher Pair To Prep For Pegasus Turf In Saturday’s Fort Lauderdale

Grade 1 winner Halladay and multiple stakes-winning stablemate Largent will test their affinity for the racetrack with designs on the richest prize of the winter turf season next month in Saturday's $200,000 Fort Lauderdale (G2) at Gulfstream Park.

The 64th running of the 1 1/8-mile Fort Lauderdale for 3-year-olds and up on the grass is the headliner on an 11-race program featuring five stakes, four graded, worth $575,000 in purses. First race post time is 12:05 p.m.

Also on the card are the $100,000 Harlan's Holiday (G3) for 3-year-olds and up, hometown prep for the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) Jan. 23; and $100,000 Rampart (G3) at one mile, $100,000 Sugar Swirl (G3) going six furlongs and $75,000 My Rampart at 1 1/16 miles on turf, all for fillies and mares 3 and older.

Since the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational (G1) was inaugurated in 2019, the Fort Lauderdale was moved from early January to mid-December to serve as the local stepping-stone to the Pegasus Day event. Eight of the 10 horses in Saturday's field are stakes winners, six of them in graded company.

“This is going to be a tough race. This is a prep with some real teeth to it,” said Todd Pletcher, a two-time Fort Lauderdale winner who trains both Halladay and Largent. “I think if either one of them were able to perform well in here it would certainly tell us that they belong in the Pegasus.”

Harrell Ventures' Halladay is undefeated in three races at Gulfstream, winning the 2019 Tropical Park Derby at last winter's Championship Meet and both an April 4 optional claiming allowance and the 1 1/16-mile Sunshine Forever May 9 during the spring-summer stand. The 4-year-old War Front colt has never raced beyond 1 1/16 miles in his 15-race career.

“We're interested in trying to stretch him out. We know that he's fond of the Gulfstream course so we felt like this was sort of a good opportunity to see how he would handle a little more distance,” Pletcher said. “If this were to go really well it would put the Pegasus Turf in play, so that's what we're trying to find out.”

Fourth behind Fort Lauderdale rival Somelikeithotbrown in the Bernard Baruch (G2) in July, Halladay rebounded to win the one-mile Fourstardave (G1) Aug. 22, also at Saratoga. The front-running Halladay was sixth after setting the pace in the Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) last out Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

“He ran well. We unfortunately had to miss a prep race for it and the ground might have been a touch softer than he really likes it,” Pletcher said. “The way he finished and galloped out that day in the Fourstardave was encouraging. We're interested to see how he does with the added distance.”

Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Twin Creeks Racing Stables' Largent owns three wins and a second in four lifetime tries at Gulfstream, breaking his maiden last March and winning a pair of allowances during the 2019-2020 Championship Meet.

The 4-year-old Into Mischief gelding became a stakes winner in the Edward P. Evans in July at Colonial Downs, and returns off a neck triumph in the 1 1/16-mile Bert Allen Oct. 9 at Laurel Park, both coming against fellow Virginia-breds.

Like Halladay, Largent has never raced beyond 1 1/16 miles. He will carry 120 pounds including jockey Paco Lopez from Post 6 while Luis Saez has the assignment on Halladay from outside Post 10 at co-topweight of 125 pounds.

“He's super consistent, always shows up and runs well. He, too, has always liked Gulfstream. He's definitely one that is capable on the day,” Pletcher said of Largent. “I think as he's matured he's settled a little better, as has Halladay, I think that gives them both the chance of handling the added distance.”

A former Pletcher trainee, Calumet Farm's Channel Cat is also part of the Fort Lauderdale mix with designs on the Pegasus. Channel Cat ran third by less than a length, beaten a neck for second, in last year's race, then finished 10th in the Pegasus Turf and fourth in the Pan American (G2) before going to the sidelines.

The 5-year-old son of turf champion English Channel is now under the care of Calumet's private trainer Jack Sisterson and set to make his first start since March 28. Winner of the 2019 Bowling Green (G2), Channel Cat is less than $52,000 shy of the $1 million mark in lifetime earnings.

“I think the pressure's on to sort of try and follow in Todd's footsteps, but we'll give it a shot,” Sisterson said. “We'll see how he performs and where we go after that. If he was to run well, we'll bring him back for the Pegasus.”

Corey Lanerie rides Channel Cat from Post 5 at 120 pounds.

Somelikeithotbrown and Tide of the Sea will represent trainer Mike Maker, upset winner of the 2020 Pegasus Turf with Zulu Alpha and winner of the 2018 Fort Lauderdale with Shining Copper. Three Diamonds Farm's Tide of the Sea has two seconds and back-to-back wins since being purchased for $80,000 out of Keeneland's November 2019 Breeding Stock Sale.

Skychai Racing and David Koenig's Somelikeithotbrown won the Bernard Baruch and Oct. 24 Mohawk against fellow New York-breds in front-running fashion. Though he shares a similar running style as Halladay, the 4-year-old Big Brown colt has experience at 1 1/8 miles with two wins, a second and a third in six tries.

Tyler Gaffalione has the call on Somelikeithotbrown from the rail. Tide of the Sea will be ridden by Joe Bravo from Post 7.

“We're going to give both of them a shot,” Maker said. “It would be great to get back to the Pegasus.”

Gaining Ground Racing's Factor This is a 12-time career winner of more than $1.2 million in purse earnings trained by Brad Cox, who has a string in South Florida for the first time this winter. Factor This won four straight races and three graded-stakes between Feb. 15 and Aug. 2, a period interrupted by a pause in racing amid the coronavirus pandemic, was a front-running winner of the Dinner Party (G2) Oct. 3 at Pimlico Race Course and finished eighth following a troubled trip in the Breeders' Cup Mile.

Spooky Channel, the 2020 W.L. McKnight (G3) winner at Gulfstream; Phipps Stable's Grade 3-placed homebred Breaking the Rules, two-for-three lifetime at Gulfstream including a win in the 2018 Tropical Park Derby; Juddmonte Farms French Group 3 winner Delaware, third by a neck in the Artie Schiller last out Nov. 14 at Aqueduct; and Allen Stable homebred Doswell, a winner of two straight for trainer Barclay Tagg round out the field.

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Mr. Buff Takes Short Turnaround Into Saturday’s Alex M. Robb Stakes

Multiple stakes winner Mr. Buff returns off short rest in Saturday's $100,000 Alex M. Robb, a nine-furlong test for New York-breds 3-years-old and up at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by John Kimmel, Mr. Buff ran a distant fifth in Saturday's Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap contested over a sloppy track at the Big A after scoring against his Empire State-bred counterparts in the Empire Classic on Empire Showcase Day, October 24 at Belmont Park.

Owned and bred by Chester and Mary Broman, Mr. Buff will look for his third straight Alex M. Robb score. He notched the first of his nine stakes triumphs in the 2018 edition by a nose over Twisted Tom. Last year, he was an emphatic 7 ½-length victor of the Alex M. Robb over Dynamax Prime.

Mr. Buff has amassed the highest amount of lifetime earnings in the field, banking $1,220,786 with a career record of 41-15-7-4. In addition to the last two runnings of the Alex M. Robb, Mr. Buff owns victories in the Jazil in back-to-back years and the Haynesfield, which he won last year by 20 lengths while garnering a 106 Beyer Speed Figure.

Kimmel said Mr. Buff exited the Cigar Mile in good order.

“His energy level was quite high. He actually seems quite full of himself,” Kimmel said. “I'm not committed to running. We'll get a couple more gallop days into him. The exercise rider [Jorge Munoz] that has been on him says he feels extremely energetic. He seems to be doing fine.”

Should he opt out of the Alex M. Robb, Kimmel said the nine-furlong $100,000 Queens County on December 19 at the Big A against open company would be another option for Mr. Buff.

Kendrick Carmouche, the recently concluded Big A fall meet's leading rider, piloted Mr. Buff to his maiden victory in September 2016 at Belmont Park. He will be reunited with the talented New York-bred from post 4.

Christophe Clement, fresh off earning his first New York training title at the Aqueduct fall meet, will send City Man back to action after a triumphant stakes encounter in the open company Gio Ponti on November 27 over the inner turf at the Big A.

Owned by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, Peter Searles and Patty Searles, the sophomore son of Mucho Macho Man made his fourth career start on grass a winning one last out. He won last year's Funny Cide in August 2019 one the Saratoga Race Course main track by 4 ¾ lengths.

“It seems to be the nature of his sire. He's putting out as good of dirt horses as he is turf horses,” said Dean Reeves of Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, who also campaigned Mucho Macho Man. “This is a nice horse. I was happy for him to come back and win the way he did. He had been running well, we just weren't getting the job done, so I was happy to see him notch a stakes win. Personally, I think he'll get better in his 4-year-old season. There's a lot of upside side to him.”

In winning the Gio Ponti, City Man ended a seven-race losing streak, which included a close fourth in the Grade 3 Transylvania at Keeneland, marking his lone graded stakes start to date. He has never finished worst than fourth through a consistent 10-3-2-1 record.

“When I watch him, I still think he's a little immature,” Reeves said. “He wants to run up to the leaders all of a sudden and then wait on them. Once he grows out of that, he can go by them and finish a little stronger. He's an exciting horse. It's really nice to have a horse where you can think dirt and turf.”

City Man, bred in New York by Moonstar Farm, is out of the City Zip mare City Scamper. He was purchased for $185,000 from the OBS April Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

City Man will exit post 3 with Manny Franco aboard.

Clement also will send out Waterville Lake Stable's Sea Foam, who seeks his fourth career stakes triumph.

The homebred 5-year-old son of Medaglia d'Oro, out of the graded-stakes winning Unbridled's Song mare Strike It Rich, won the Notebook at the Big A during his juvenile campaign and picked up wins in the New York Derby at Finger Lakes and the Albany at Saratoga the following year.

Sea Foam has notched three allowance wins since then, including two against open company. He was third last out to Mr. Buff in the Empire Classic.

Joel Rosario will ride Sea Foam from post 1.

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing's Bankit seeks his first triumph since last year's New York Derby for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen. The son of Central Banker, bred by Hidden Brook Farm and Blue Devil Racing, has gone winless in 11 starts this season. He has been stakes-placed on six occasions this year, including two runner-up placings at Oaklawn Park, where he was a head shy of victory in the Fifth Season and Grade 3 Razorback. Bankit was a last-out third to Funny Guy in the NYSSS Thunder Rumble on November 22 at the Big A.

Jockey Jose Lezcano will be aboard from post 6.

Completing the field are four-time winner Yankee Division [post 2, Jorge Vargas, Jr.], and Noda Brothers' Miner's Mark winner Danny California [post 5, Luis Castro Rodgriguez].

The Alex M. Robb is slated as Race 8 on Aqueduct's nine-race program, which offers a first post of 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

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