Tom Pedulla presents five key takeaways from the $500,000 Stephen Foster Stakes at Churchill Downs and other developments during a weekend marked by spectacular individual performances. The Stephen Foster carried an expense-paid berth in the $7 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.
Tag: Racing
Options Galore For Ogden Phipps Winner She’s A Julie’s Next Start
Owner Peter Bradley of Bradley Thoroughbreds said Grade 1 Ogden Phipps winner She's a Julie has several options in play following her triumph in the 1 1/8-mile event on June 13 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.
Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the daughter of Elusive Quality is “50-50” for the Grade 2, $400,000 Delaware Handicap on July 11 at Delaware Park according to Bradley, who owns She's a Julie in partnership with Tim Cambron, Anna Cambron, Denali Stud, Rigney Racing and Madaket Stables.
Other options for the two-time Grade 1-winning millionaire include the Grade 3, $250,000 Molly Pitcher on July 18 at Monmouth Park, or to train up to the Grade 1, $500,000 Personal Ensign on August 1 at Saratoga.
“We're looking at it,” Bradley said of the Delaware Handicap. “As Steve says, we'll let her tell us, but we've marked that, the Molly Pitcher or maybe even wait until the Personal Ensign.”
She's a Julie posted her first breeze since the Ogden Phipps on Sunday morning, working five furlongs in 1:02.48 over the Belmont main track.
She's a Julie was a 14-1 upset winner of the Ogden Phipps where she made a three-wide move under urging from jockey Ricardo Santana, Jr. and nosed out graded stakes winner Point of Honor for the win.
“She gives it her all every time and is a bit of a grinder,” said Bradley. “The race set up with speed in front of her and that's when she's at her best. She's been training well, couldn't be happier with her.”
She's a Julie made amends in the Ogden Phipps following a disappointing sixth in her 2020 bow in the Shawnee at Churchill Downs, where she hopped at the start, got out of position and came up empty.
“The way she hit the gate that day and got out of position, she was a lost cause from there on out,” Bradley said. “She's a big, strong filly and Ricardo did the right thing that day and wrapped up on her. As Steve said, put a line through that race. What she's got is a heart that's twice as big as she is and she's a very big horse.”
She's a Julie boasts lifetime earnings of $1,187,880 and boasts five graded stakes victories, all of which have taken place over different tracks.
Bradley found more Belmont success when Captain Bombastic took the Mike Lee on June 14 for trainer Jeremiah Englehart.
Bradley purchased the Forty Tales New York-bred for $80,000 on behalf of Team Hanley at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale last March.
“He was a balanced and very athletic looking horse,” Bradley said. “He moved across the ground well, galloped out nicely and just did all the things you want him to do. Forty Tales isn't really a household name as a stallion, but we had a price point we were looking at it. The one turn is really what he wants.”
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Baffert May Ship Gamine East Again To Prep For Kentucky Oaks
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert was pleasantly surprised to see Gamine bounce out of her sensational 18 3/4-length domination of the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes on June 20 as quickly as she did.
Baffert, a five-time winner of the one-turn mile event at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., said the Grade 1, $1.25-million Kentucky Oaks on September 4 at Churchill Downs is the long-term goal for the Into Mischief bay, but that he would like to race once more before the prestigious event with a trip to Saratoga a possibility for his filly. The nine-furlong, Grade 1, $350,000 Coaching Club American Oaks is slated for July 18 at Saratoga.
Owned by Michael Lund Petersen, Gamine arrived at the Acorn off a win on debut at Santa Anita and a two-turn victory against winners at Oaklawn Park.
“For as fast as she ran, she looks really good,” Baffert said. “It really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be on her. After the Oaklawn race she came back and was a little light on me, but this time she came back looking really well. So we're excited about her. I haven't really thought of a next race for her. I'd like to find one race before the Kentucky Oaks, I just don't know yet. I may have to come back to Saratoga.”
Gamine earned 50 qualifying points towards the Kentucky Oaks following an Acorn win and is currently No. 12 on the Kentucky Oaks Leaderboard.
Bred in Kentucky by Grace Thoroughbred Holdings, Gamine was purchased for $1.8 million from the Fasig-Tipton Mid Atlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale last May. She is out of the stakes-placed Kafwain broodmare Peggy Jane.
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Bellafina Tops Great Lady M. Noms; Baffert Nominates Quartet To Los Alamitos Derby
Multiple graded stakes winner Bellafina heads the nominations for the Grade II, $200,000-guaranteed Great Lady M. Stakes while Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has four nominees to the Grade III, $150,000-guaranteed Los Alamitos Derby at Los Alamitos race course in Cypress, Calif.
The two races will be run for the seventh time at Los Alamitos Saturday, July 4.
Owned by Kaleem Shah and Mrs. John Magnier and trained by Simon Callaghan, Bellafina, a 4-year-old Quality Road filly out of the Malibu Moon mare Akron Moon, has earned all seven of her wins in graded stakes. She's banked $1,512,875 in 15 starts. Her successes include the Sorrento (GII), Del Mar Debutante (GI) and Chandlier (GI) in 2018, Santa Ynez (GII), Las Virgenes (GII) and Santa Anita Oaks (GI) in 2019 and the Desert Stormer (GIII) last month at Santa Anita.
The Great Lady M. will mark Bellafina's first start at Los Alamitos since she was second in her career debut July 4, 2018.
The other nominees are Lady T N T, idle since her 37-1 upset in the Grade III Charles Town Oaks last Sept. 21, Zusha, Artistic Diva, Amuse, Ava's Charm, Donut Girl, Hang a Star, Message, Road Rager, Saints Paynter, Sneaking Out and Unique Factor.
Baffert, who has won the Los Alamitos Derby the last three years with West Coast (2017), Once on Whiskey (2018) and Game Winner (2019), nominated Azul Coast, a first out winner at Los Alamitos last Dec. 8, Cezanne, who is entered in Thursday's fifth race, Thousand Words, a neck winner of the Grade II Los Alamitos Futurity last Dec. 7, and impressive debut winner Uncle Chuck.
The Derby is part of the “Road to the Kentucky Derby'' this year. The winner of the race will receive 20 points towards a berth in the Derby, which will be run Sept. 5 at Churchill Downs. There will also be eight points awarded to the runner-up, four to the third place finisher and two to the fourth place finisher.
The other Los Alamitos Derby nominees are Great Power, Rushie, third behind Honor A.P. and Authentic in the Grade I Santa Anita Derby June 6, Anneau d'Or, fourth in the SA Derby and second in last year's Los Alamitos Futurity, the maiden Cosmo, Hit the Road and the filly Stela Star.
Entries for both the Great Lady M. Stakes and the Los Alamitos Derby will be taken Wednesday, July 1.
Equibase past performances for the Great Lady M. Stakes
Equibase past performances for Los Alamitos Derby nominees
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