Tag: Racing

‘Settled Down’ Shirl’s Speight Impressive Winning Marine Stakes For Attfield

Charles Fipke's homebred Shirl's Speight put on another impressive show, this time in Saturday's $125,000 Marine Stakes (Grade 3), at Woodbine in Toronto, Ontario.

After a head-turning debut in his career bow on July 4, Shirl's Speight, under leading rider Rafael Hernandez, was at the top his game again in the 1 1/16-mile Marine, for 3-year-olds.

Trained by Roger Attfield, the son of Speightstown came into the main track event off an eight-length score at seven furlongs over the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

Sent off as the even-money choice in the Marine, Shirl's Speight broke sharply from the outside gate and tracked pacesetter Untitled through early splits of :24.59 and :48.68.

The front-end battle continued through three-quarters in 1:12.34 as the duo further distanced themselves from their five rivals.

Shirl's Speight easily took control soon after, holding a three-length advantage at track announcer Robert Geller's stretch call, going on to record a victory that looked much easier than the 2 ¾-length margin at the wire.

Lucky Curlin, the 2-1 second choice on the tote board, was second, while Queen's Plate-eligible Dotted Line finished third. Untitled was fourth.

The final time was 1:43.42 over the Tapeta.

“Like I said before, he's a horse with a tremendous amount of ability,” said Attfield, who earned his record fifth Marine, and first since 1993 (Cheery Knight). “He just had that one race and he never learned anything from that race. He did get the experience from it, so today was going to be more interesting.”

The Hall of Fame conditioner felt confident in his horse's chances ahead of the race, and even more so after the race was underway.

“He settled down and rated. Once he got to the five-eighths pole, I was pretty sure he'd just keep galloping around there. He's a very nice horse, for sure.”

It was something Attfield discovered well before Shirl's Speight's early July debut.

“I've been excited about this horse from last year, to be honest with you. He was always the workmate with Mr. Hustle, who finished up as [2019 Canadian] champion 2-year-old, and he [Shirl's Speight] always looked like he might be the stronger of the two, and just sprinting. I said, 'He'll stay. This horse will stay.' I was pretty sure he'd stay. But I had to put him away because he got jarred up and he needed some time. I couldn't wait to get him back this spring because I've been thinking about this horse all winter.”

Shirl's Speight paid $4.10, $2.80 and $2.60, combining with Lucky Curlin ($2.80, $2.40) for a $13.10 (7-1) exactor. A 7-1-4 triactor (Dotted Line, $4.40 to show) was worth $38.95 for a $1 ticket, while a $1 Superfecta [7-1-4-6 (Untitled)] came back $108.70.

 

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Guarana Has Sights On Fourth Grade 1 In ‘Win And You’re In’ Ballerina At Saratoga

Following a gritty effort to win the Grade 1 Madison on July 11 at Keeneland, Three Chimneys Farm and Hill n Dale Equine Holdings' Guarana is scheduled to seek a fourth career Grade 1 triumph in the $300,000 Ballerina presented by NYRA Bets on August 8 at Saratoga.

The seven-furlong event over the main track for older fillies and mares is a Breeders' Cup “Win And You're In” event and provides an automatic entry towards the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on November 6 at Keeneland.

“I think that's a logical target,” said Doug Cauthen, Vice Chairman of Three Chimneys Farm. “Like with all of them, we let them guide us there but it's definitely on the radar. Hopefully, she can have a good summer and fall.”

Trained by Chad Brown, Guarana boasts a consistent 6-5-1-0 record with three of her victories taking place against Grade 1 competition. In her most recent effort, the Ghostzapper filly commanded the pace early on and was confronted to the outside by Mia Mischief at the top of the stretch who appeared to be in winning contention at the three-sixteenths. Guarana refused to be denied and battled back along the rail to win by a half-length.

“I think she gained even more fans for her courage,” said Cauthen. “It's hard to get passed up and then come back. She was definitely more than game that day. She's really a very special filly and special to everybody here because she's a homebred and she's just brilliant.”

Following a sensational career debut last April at Keeneland, Guarana followed up by defeating Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress in the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont Park en route to a two-turn score in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks at the Spa.

“She's multi-dimensional,” Cauthen said. “She showed that talent last year winning one turn races and winning going two turns at Saratoga as well.”

Guarana is out of the Distorted Humor broodmare Magical World whose dam was the 2005 Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Pleasant Home. Her fourth dam was Grade 1-winner Maplejinsky, who produced Hall of Famer and 1994 Champion Older Female Sky Beauty.

“She's got a lot of the scope and the mare has plenty of scope and quality,” Cauthen said. “She [Magical World] is a Distorted Humor mare that's bigger than most Distorted Humor mares. Just quality and class that runs through the line.”

Fans of Guarana can look forward to seeing her Pioneerof the Nile half-brother debut later in the year. This year, her dam gave birth to a Gun Runner colt and is currently in foal to Quality Road.

“She has a Pioneerof the Nile 2-year-old with Chad that from all hopes is special, but he's got to go out there and prove it. I think he'll be a late summer, early fall horse if all goes well,” Cauthen said.

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‘She Is Back In Top Order’: Enable Cruises To Third King George VI & Queen Elilzabeth Victory

Under rainy skies, Prince Khalid Abdullah's 6-year-old mare Enable (GB), ridden by Frankie Dettori, overpowered Sovereign (IRE) and Japan (GB) en route to a record third win in Saturday's 1 ½-mile King George VI & Queen Elizabeth QIPCO Stakes (G1) at Ascot in the United Kingdom. The 5 ½-length victory earned Enable a guaranteed starting position into the $6 million Longines Breeders' Cup Turf (G1) through the international Breeders' Cup Challenge.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge is an international series of stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, which is scheduled to be held at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky, on Nov. 6-7.

Enable becomes the fourth horse this year to gain a “Win and You're In” berth for the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf. She joins Nao Da Mais (BRZ), who won the Gran Premio Carlos Pellegrini (G1) in Argentina, Lord North (IRE), who captured the Prince of Wales's Stakes (G1) at Royal Ascot and Chrono Genesis (JPN), who took the Takarazuka Kinen (G1) in Japan.

Enable, the 2018 Longines Breeders' Cup Turf winner and a two-time champion of the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (G1), trained by John Gosden, improved her record to 14 wins in 17 starts. She captured the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2017 and in 2019.

Dettori also tied Lester Piggott with a record seven wins in the King George VI.

Making her second start of the year since her defeat to Ghaiyyath (IRE) in the Coral-Eclipse (G1) at Sandown on July 5, Enable faced just two Aidan O'Brien-trained rivals in Japan, last year's Juddmonte International (G1) winner, and Sovereign, the 2019 Irish Derby (G1) winner.  A third Ballydoyle runner, 2019 Investec Derby (G1) winner Anthony Van Dyck (IRE), was scratched earlier Saturday morning.

Sent off as the 4-9 favorite, Enable raced in second behind Sovereign, who extended to a six-length in the early going. On the turn for home, Dettori began to urge Enable. Closing the gap into the final furlong, Dettori peered over his left shoulder at Japan, who was not responding to encouragement from jockey Ryan Moore. The daughter of Nathaniel then swept past Sovereign to a commanding victory.

“Enable has really, really trained beautifully for this race,” said Gosden. “I made it very clear to everyone that she wasn't tuned properly for a mile and a quarter [in the Eclipse] at that pace, but the race put her right. I told Frankie to ride her with a lot of confidence and travel for a long as he could, and she did.

“She is back in top order, no doubt about that. We have been thrilled with her at home. I never expect things like that but I was expecting to see that, but life can be full of disappointments.”

“Obviously, we knew Sovereign was going to make the running and it was a bit of a cat and mouse situation with me and Ryan for the first couple of furlongs,” said Dettori. “He was happy to let me go, so I followed the pacemaker and, in fairness, it was a very even gallop. I was trying to time it so I did not hit the front too early and I couldn't hear a lot, so I looked around and I saw Ryan in trouble. Then it was a matter of hoping that, if I pressed the button, she would pick up and she did.”

In winning her 11th Group 1 race, Enable covered the 1 ½ miles in 2:28.92 over a course listed as good to firm.

As part of the benefits of the Challenge Series, Breeders' Cup will pay the entry fees for Enable to start in the Longines Breeders' Cup Turf, which will be run at 1 ½ miles over the Keeneland turf course. Breeders' Cup also will provide a travel allowance of US$40,000 for all starters based outside of North America to compete in the World Championships.

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