Godolphin LLC, which campaigned 15 North American graded stakes winners, including two Breeders’ Cup winners, repeated as leading owner by earnings, and Irad Ortiz Jr., again established a single-season earnings record as the leading jockey according to final statistics released today by Equibase Co., the Thoroughbred industry’s official database for racing inform
Tag: Racing
Cal-Bred Chismosa Halts Winless Skid With Clean Trip, Makes Grade In Las Flores
In a race that changed inexplicably when favored Sweet Azteca ducked out at the top of the stretch, California-bred Chismosa essentially cut the corner and went on to a hard-fought 1¼-length score in Santa Anita's $100,000 Las Flores (G3), the main event on Monday's New Year's Day card.
Ridden by Kyle Frey and trained by Rafael DeLeon, Chismosa was about two lengths off early pacesetter Sweet Azteca and Frankie Dettori while third midway on the turn. From there, she angled outside the favorite leaving the quarter pole, but when Sweet Azteca ducked out, blowing the turn for home, Frey was able to cross over her heels, cutting to her inside. At that point, Chismosa was head and head with a resurgent Hot Peppers and was able to gradually draw clear nearing the wire.
Frey, who hadn't been aboard Chismosa since breaking her maiden 11 starts back on July 23, 2022 at Del Mar, picked up his first win at Santa Anita's fledgling Classic Meet.
Time for the six furlongs was 1:10.22 on a fast track.
Unbeaten in three starts at age 2, including a pair of state-bred stakes, Chismosa, a 4-year-old filly by Clubhouse Ride, was winless in eight starts last year and was off at 8-1 Monday in a field of five older fillies and mares, returning $18.60 for her victory.
“She ran very game,” Frey said. “As you saw, the favorite ducked out there at the top of the lane and I didn't want to lose a ton of ground by staying outside her, so I was able to cut inside, over heels and get to the inside. From there, she just kept grinding. Big effort.”
Owned by her breeder, Jaime Renella, Chismosa, who is out of the Cat Dreams mare You Can Dream, picked up $60,000 for the win, increasing her lifetime bankroll to $368,250 from an overall mark of 12-4-2-2.
“She's never had a clean trip in all of her races and we finally got one today,” Renella said.
Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Hot Peppers popped the gate but was unable to go with Sweet Azteca in the run to the five furlong pole. Off at 2-1, Hot Peppers finished 1¼ lengths in front of Sweet Azteca in third.
The 6-5 favorite, Sweet Azteca, set the early pace of :21.96, and :44.70 through a half mile and tried to re-rally after blowing the turn for home. She finished a half length better than fourth-place finisher Lady T. Violent Runner completed the order of finish.
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Catching Freedom Rallies to Win Smarty Jones Stakes
Albaugh Family Stables kicked off the 2024 season for 3-year-olds the right way Jan. 1 by taking the $300,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park with Catching Freedom, who became a stakes winner in his stakes debut.
Power Squeeze Rallies Past Rivals To Post Cash Run Surprise
Lea Farms' Power Squeeze closed stoutly down the center of the track to sweep past horses through the stretch and spring an 8-1 upset of her stakes debut in Monday's $150,000 Cash Run at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
The fourth running of the one-mile Cash Run for newly turned 3-year-old fillies, first step on the road to the $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) March 30, shared top billing on a New Year's holiday program with the $150,000 Mucho Macho Man for 3-year-olds.
Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for trainer Jorge Delgado, Power Squeeze ($18.80) was making just her fourth start and first since a 4 ½-length triumph in an off-the-turf maiden special weight Oct. 7 at Delaware Park.
Ortiz kept the late-running daughter of Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags in the clear four wide as Done Enough, back on dirt after a failed turf try in the 7 ½-furlong Wait a While Dec. 9 at Gulfstream, cruised through an opening quarter-mile in 24.16 seconds and a half in 46.75, pressed to her outside by Sweet Hazely, with multiple stakes winner Chi Chi racing in between De Regresso on the rail and 9-5 favorite Queen's Martini.
When Queen's Martini moved up to launch a bid three wide rounding the far turn, Ortiz tipped further out to follow suit and set Power Squeeze down for a drive once straightened for home, soaring to the front and going away to win by five lengths in 1:37.19 over a fast main track.
“It's always a plus to have Irad on her back. He did everything right today,” Delgado said. “The filly was very good today. I think we'll have a nice filly moving forward.”
Queen's Martini, an eye-catching winner of her lone prior start July 19 at Saratoga, was a clear second, 2 ¾ lengths ahead of Done Enough, who held off Sweet Hazely for third. Chi Chi and De Regresso completed the order of finish.
Power Squeeze was racing for the first time at Gulfstream after making three starts at 2, running fourth and second in six-furlong maiden special weights at Delaware and Monmouth Park before her graduation.
“We've been trying to find races to stretch her out,” Delgado said. “In her last race, it was the first time she had a chance to develop her stride like the run she had today.”
Delgado said he would likely target the next race in Gulfstream's series for 3-year-old fillies on dirt, the $125,000 Forward Gal (G3) sprinting seven furlongs Feb. 3.
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