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Mischievous Dream Overcomes Trouble To Win Sorority

With a dozen 2-year-old fillies going a mile on the turf in Monday's 65th Sorority Stakes at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., jockey Joe Bravo expected it to be a bit of an adventure. Trainer Christophe Clement anticipated the same thing – and issued a reminder to Bravo before the race indicating as much.

“Christophe had said to me 'it's going to be a mess out there. There's a lot of horses for a flat-mile turf race. Try to ride a smart race and keep your eyes open,' ” said Bravo.

Bravo wasn't quite able to avoid the expected trouble but he was able to win nonetheless, delivering himself an early birthday present when Mischievous Dream split horses in deep stretch for a half-length victory in a wild finish in the $100,000 stakes race. That marked the third victory on the card for Monmouth Park's 13-time riding champion, who celebrates his 49th birthday on Thursday.

“I thought she was very impressive,” said Clement. “She scared me at the eighth pole (when Bravo had to check severely). I didn't know she was good enough to overcome that and make it to the wire first. But I guess she is.”

Back in the pack in ninth place along the rail early through fractions of :23.20 for the opening quarter and :48.37 to the half, Mischievous Dream was still in ninth entering the final turn. Bravo was able to find room along the rail in the stretch, but had to check in traffic behind Miss Wild and Social Exclusion before swinging his filly outside of both to an open seam.

From there the New York-bred daughter of Into Mischief, bred and owned by Patricia A. Generazio, shot past half the field. Invincible Gal closed for second, a half-length ahead of longshot Tic Tic Boom.

The winning time for the mile on a turf course listed as firm was 1:38.98. Mischievous Dream returned $9.80 to win.

“I had a lot of horse the entire time,” said Bravo. “At first she was hyper but she settled and relaxed. She was in the pocket. I just had to steer her out. I thought I had room in the middle of the lane to go between horses but I had to check big time.

“For a 2-year-old filly to pick herself up after trouble like that is impressive. It happened so fast. A couple of horses ducked in and out and I was able to split them. When a horse is able to pass horses in two or three jumps it's fun.”

After winning her debut on the grass at 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga on July 19, Mischievous Dream faltered a bit in her second start, finishing fourth in the Bolton Landing Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 19, also in a 5 1/2-furlong sprint.

Clement felt she deserved another shot a stakes race.

“We always thought she was a nice filly,” he said. “She broke her maiden impressively and we saw that she was better than she had done in her last start. She was training very well at Saratoga. That's why we were trying to be a bit more ambitious with her and it worked out today.”

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Wright Looking For First Longacres Mile Victory With Anothertwistafate

Ten older horses led by Peter Redekop's Anothertwistafate have been entered in the $100,000 Longacres Mile (G3), to be run Thursday, Sept. 10, at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Wash.

The 85th renewal of the Northwest's premier event goes as Race 8 at 8:30 p.m.

Unraced since a 10th in the 2019 Preakness, Anothertwistafate is the 8-5 morning line favorite in the Longacres Mile. A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred by Scat Daddy, Anothertwistafate was among the nation's top 3-year-olds last year, finishing second in both the Sunland Derby (G3) and Lexington Stakes (G3) and winning the $100,000 El Camino Real Derby by seven lengths. Trained by Blaine Wright, Anothertwistafate is 3-2-0 in seven lifetime starts with $303,505 in earnings. The dark bay colt capped a strong series of works with a bullet six furlongs in 1:12 2/5 last Sunday at Golden Gate.

“Everything has gone well, our horse has worked lights out,” Wright said via phone from California. “His six-furlong works are like a mile, he gallops out strongly.”

Wright has been the leading stakes trainer the last three seasons at Emerald Downs, amassing 30 stakes wins here since 2017. The Mile, however, has eluded his grasp. There have been some close calls, including runner-up finishes by Alert Bay in 2018 and Anyportinastorm, who missed by a head to Law Abidin Citizen in 2019.

Wright says winning the Longacres Mile is a big deal for anyone in Northwest racing.

“I think everyone involved in this race would say the same thing, that winning the Mile means a lot,” Wright said. “It means a lot to me, Mr. Redekop, and everyone in the race.”

Wright is adept at returning horses from layoffs, winning with 19 of 69 horses that have been sidelined 180 days or more. In 2018, Wright brought millionaire Alert Bay back from a 13-month break to finish second in the Longacres Mile.

Anothertwistafate drew the No. 4 post-position and will be ridden by two-time Longacres Mile-winning jockey Juan Gutierrez.

Five Star General and He's the Reason, both from Canada, are 9-2 and 5-1 on the morning line. Five Star General captured the 2019 British Columbia Derby and is two for two at a mile, while He's the Reason is a multiple stakes winner in Vancouver. Both are owned and trained by Glen Todd, whose Princess of Cairo stunned previously unbeaten Daffodil Sweet in the Washington Oaks earlier this week.

Five Star General, co starting high-weight with He's the Reason at 122 pounds, is ridden by two-time Kentucky Derby winner Mario Gutierrez, two for two in the Mile with wins on Taylor Said in 2012 and Point Piper in 2016.

Elliott Bay at 8-1 appears the top local threat. The lone returnee from the 2019 Longacres Mile, the 5-year-old Harbor the Gold gelding is unbeaten in two starts at the meet and also boasts the track's hottest connections. Eddie Martinez leads all jockeys with four stakes wins in 2020 while trainer Frank Lucarelli and owners Chad Christensen and Josh McKee have combined for four stakes wins at the meet: two by 2-year-old filly sensation Time for Gold and one each by Elliott Bay and Gold Crusher, the latter taking the $40,000 Muckleshoot Derby earlier this week.

Papa's Golden Boy and Take Charge Deputy, second and third to Elliott Bay in the Mt. Rainier, are 10-1 and 12-1. For sheer speed, Papa's Golden Boy is the fastest horse at Emerald Downs. His quarter and half-mile fractions in three races this year are otherworldly: :21 1/5 & 44 1/5 , :21 1/5 & :43 1/5, :21 3/5 & :43. The question, of course, is distance. Thursday will be his first try around two turns, but it was encouraging that younger brother Gold Crusher easily won the Muckleshoot Derby at a mile and sixteenth. In two starts this year, Take Charge Deputy defeated Barkley in an allowance at 5 1/2 furlongs and finished third in the Mt. Rainier at 6 1/2 furlongs. A 5-year-old gelding, Take Charge Deputy is three for six at the distance including a victory in the final edition of the Portland Meadows Mile.

Makah Lane, La Waun, The Press and Hollywood Heat all figure to go off at big odds.

Makah Lane won the one-mile Washington Cup Sophomore as a 3-year-old and began this year with a sharp allowance win opening day, but failed to fire while finishing fifth in the Mt. Rainier. La Waun is a a hard-hitting 5-year-old with 10 wins from 36 starts, but The Mile represents a big step up in class and his lone route win was vs. $12,500 claimers on a synthetic surface.

The Press is sharp and can get the distance; he beat Mach One Rules at a mile in the 2016 Washington Cup. He also is stepping up in class, but trainer Howard Belvoir has won the Longacres Mile three times at Emerald Downs. Hollywood Heat produced a $105.60 upset in allowance company last month, but was drilled by Elliott Bay on July 2 and has never raced farther than six furlongs.

The field for the $100,000 Longacres Mile (G3)

1: Elliott Bay (8/1), Eddie Martinez, 121 lbs
2: Five Star General (9/2), Mario Guttierez, 122
3: The Press (20/1), Jennifer Whitaker, 114
4: Anothertwistafate (8/5), Juan Guttierez, 118
5: He's the Reason (5/1), Alex Cruz, 122
6: Hollywood Heat (30/1), Alex Anaya, 114
7: Papa's Golden Boy (10/1), Gary Wales, 117
8: Take Charge Deputy (12/1), Cerapio Figueroa, 118
9: Makah Lane (15/1), Jake Samuels, 117
10: La Waun (20/1), Patrick Henry Jr., 115

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Princess Noor Gives Baffert Ninth Victory In Del Mar Debutante

Zedan Racing Stable's high-priced filly ran like she was worth every penny of the $1.35 million owner Amir Zedan spent on her this past April at a 2-year-old in training sale and took down honors in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante Sunday afternoon at Del Mar near San Diego, Calif.

The well-made daughter from the first crop of the Giant's Causeway stallion Not This Time overcame some jostling at the start, then took command at the head of the lane to draw out to a 6 1/2-length tally in the 70th edition of the local championship race for 2-year-old fillies. As the 7-10 favorite in the field of six, she returned $3.40, $2.40 and $2.10 across the board after surviving a stewards inquiry that looked at the incident at the start.

Hall of Famer Victor Espinoza handled the filly for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert. Espinoza had been aboard her here on August 22 when she easily took her debut in a straight maiden race.

“Yes, she's a little green,” said Espinoza. “Only her second time (to race). Coming away from there she went in a bit and I tried to get her off as quickly as I could. You try to control the babies as best as you can, especially at the break. The other filly (My Girl Red) came out on me. My filly was OK from there. I really don't know how good she is, because I haven't let her run yet. It's nice to be back at Del Mar and riding good horses.”

Princess Noor earned a winner's check for $150,000 from the $250,000 purse and now has a bankroll that reads $183,000.

Finishing second in the seven panel spin was Phoenix Thoroughbreds' Forest Caraway and third was Bolton, Leidel or Lipman, et al's Illumination. The second choice in the race, Erich G. Brehm's My Girl Red, who was involved in a bit of bumping with the winner away from the gate, appeared to take a bad step less than a furlong into the race and was pulled up by her rider. She was returned to her barn and reported to be fine.

Princess Noor ran the distance in 1:23.15, though she was under a stout hold for the last sixteenth of a mile.

The Debutante win was the fifth for rider Espinoza and ninth for trainer Baffert.

“We knew going in she was a special filly,” said Baffert by telephone from Kentucky. “She showed so much brilliance at the sale, that's why she cost so much, and we got what we expected to see today. She broke a little off kilter and was behind horses, but Victor didn't really push her, especially at the end. We're happy to get the win. We'll run her back at Santa Anita and then go from there.”

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Stidham Ships Pixelate West To Win Del Mar Derby

Godolphin's Pixelate, benefitting from yet another perfectly timed ride on the turf by Del Mar's leading rider, Umberto Rispoli, was along in time to score by a head in the 76th running of the $200,000 Del Mar Derby Sunday at the shore oval near San Diego, Calif.

The invader from the East Coast — trained by Michael Stidham — had a near perfect trip saving ground and laying third for most of the run, then put it in gear down the lane for the Italian journeyman who is riding like a star in his first season at Del Mar. It was the fourth winner on the afternoon for Rispoli giving him a one-win lead – 49 to 48 — over his ace counterpart, Flavien Prat, who had a pair of victories on the card, including a stakes score that was his 14th of the meet, a Del Mar riding record. The battle for supremacy between these two exceptional riders at this 81st summer stand will come down to the 27th and final day of the meet on Monday.

Pixelate, a homebred City Zip colt and the 3-2 favorite, returned $5.00, $3.20 and $2.80 across the board after he covered the nine furlongs in 1:50.25. He picked up a winner's share of $120,000 and now has a record of three wins, five seconds and three thirds in 11 starts for winnings of $311,400.

Finishing second was Alfred Pais' Margot's Boy, while third was Paula Capestro's Dominant Soul.

“I talked to Mike (trainer Michael Stidham) this morning and we both agreed that we had the best horse in the race. I said I wanted to ride him up closer than normal for him; I told him this is a smaller tighter course, not like Churchill (Downs). He said: 'You ride him like you want to.' I had a great trip and he fired when he had to. I'm very happy. And I've waited 16 years (his riding career) to wear these (pointing to the Godolphin royal blue silks).”

Earlier on the card, Kaleem Shah's Madone split horses at the head of the stretch and went gamely through the stretch under Flavien Prat to capture the ninth running of the $75,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf at a mile on the grass by a half length.

The victory gave rider Prat his 14th stakes win of the meeting, establishing a new mark for stakes scores in a single summer session. Previously, Rafael Bejarano held the record with 13 victories set in 2012.

Madone paid $5.20, $3.00 and $2.40 across the board as the race favorite and earned a check for $$48,300 for his second victory in two starts and now shows winnings of $81,300.

CYBT, Nentwig or Altamira Racing Stable's Nimbostratus was second across the line, but moved back to third for interference in the stretch with LNJ Foxwoods' Ivy League, who was moved up from third to second.

Final time for the 2-year-old filly stakes was 1:39.09.

Del Mar's closing card will take place tomorrow on Labor Day with an 11-race program on tap. First post will be at 1 p.m.

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