Tag: Racing

In a stretch battle befitting its status as Santa Anita's Classic Meet opening day headliner, Tuesday's Grade 1, $300,000 Malibu Stakes showcased Speed Boat Beach and stablemate Hejazi as they “threw down” from the quarter pole home.  With favored Speed Boat Beach prevailing by 1 ½ lengths while getting seven furlongs in 1:21.70, Bob Baffert collected the exacta as well as his record-tying sixth Malibu win, putting him atop the prestigious Malibu heap with fellow Hall of Famer Richard Mandella.

Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Hejazi broke sharply to take the lead from his number six post position, but he was headed by Speed Boat Beach and Flavien Prat to his inside a half mile out. Racing as a team into and around the far turn, it appeared Hejazi put a head in front at the quarter pole, but when they straightened for home, Speed Boat Beach was all business, opening up a length and from there, he was able to repel a resolute challenge from Hejazi to register his first Grade 1 win.

“His issue is that he has always been very aggressive,” Baffert said of Speed Boat Beach. “He's aggressive in the mornings and aggressive in his races. We have been working on getting him relaxed, a lot of schooling. I've got a great team, my riders and my assistants they have been working him a lot. Prat worked him for me today and he actually worked really well with Prat. He got along with him really well, got him to come off the bit a little bit.”

Prat, who hadn't ridden Speed Boat Beach since Dec. 4, 2022, rang up his third win on the opening day card and his second win in the Malibu, following up on his opening day score two years ago aboard undefeated super horse Flightline.

A Florida-bred 3-year-old colt by 2014 Breeders' Cup Classic winner Bayern out of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Sophia Mia, Speed Boat Beach was making his third start of the year. Coming off a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint at Santa Anita on Nov. 4, he was off as the 8-5 favorite in a field seven sophomores and paid $5.20, $3.20 and $2.60.

Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Speed Boat Beach, a Grade 3 one mile turf winner, notched his third overall stakes win and his fourth win from seven starts.  With the winner's share of $180,000, Speed Boach Beach hiked his earnings to $498,000.

Off as the second choice at 2-1, Hejazi finished three lengths clear of Giant Mischief and paid $4.00 and $2.60.

Off at 10-1 with Kazushi Kimura, Giant Mischief, who broke from the rail, rallied for third money, finishing 2 ¼ lengths in front of Damon's Mound while returning $4.00 to show.

Fractions on the race were 22.21, 44.42 and 1:08.65.

The Malibu trophy was presented by Santa Anita's all-time leading rider and a six-time winner of the Malibu, the great Laffit Pincay, Jr.  A 14-time Winter Meet leading jockey, Pincay will turn 77 on Friday.

“It means a lot to be here and see all the fans and all the excitement in racing,” Pincay said. “It brings back some good memories, too. I won this race six times and in fact I forgot all about it. It's a lot of fun to come to the track and see all the people here, I really enjoy being here. It's exciting to see two good horses going head and head. I look forward to seeing who the next contenders are for the Kentucky Derby. I watch the jockeys and there are some really top jockeys here and I hope they keep competing with each other. It's nice to see competition between good jockeys.”

The post Speed Boat Beach Fights Off Stablemate Hejazi In Opening Day Malibu appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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In an extraordinary effort, Mark Glatt's upstart Watsonville would not be denied in Tuesday's Grade 2, $200,000 Mathis Mile, as he bested heavily favored Almendares by a nose, providing Glatt with an opening day hat trick and jockey Antonio Fresu with a riding double as Watsonville got the one mile turf affair in 1:34.55.

Naturally quick from his outside post, Watsonville sat just off of longshot Calm Sea into the first turn and stalked him up the backside, eventually gaining the advantage midway around the far turn, however Calm Sea battled back gamely turning for home, at which point Almendares put a head in front a sixteenth of a mile out.

From there, Watsonville seemed to relish the fight, battling back gamely with the favorite to his outside and prevailing narrowly on the money in his first stakes triumph.

“I wanted to keep him up close today and give him a target,” said Fresu. “When he hit the front, he pricked his ears and he was off.  The favorite actually passed us, but my horse dug in.  He continues to get better and better.  I won twice with him and he was always green.  The last race (Hollywood Derby) was too far for him.  I just thought if we were in a better position today, he would respond.”

Fourth in the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at 1 1/8 miles at Del Mar on Dec. 2, Watsonville, who in his only other start at one mile on turf broke his maiden four starts back on July 29, was off at 9-2 and paid $11.00, $3.80 and $2.60.

Owned by Pine Racing Stables and Saints or Sinners, Watsonville, a 3-year-old colt by the War Front stallion Jack Milton, Watsonville picked up $120,000 for the win and now has three wins from seven starts.

“It is just emotional because Watsonville went through a lot when he was younger,” commented Ana Maron, one of Watsonville's co-owners. “We didn't know if he would make it, so all of us were just kneeling and praying that he would make it through, so seeing him come this far it is exhilarating.”

Ridden by Flavien Prat, English-bred Almendares, off at 3-5, lost a heartbreaker and returned $2.80 and $2.10 while finishing three quarters of a length in front of Irish-bred Dandy Man Shines.

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Dandy Man Shines was off at 5-2 and paid $2.20 to show.

Fractions on the Mathis Mile were 23.77, 48.20, 1:11.76 and 1:23.16.

The trophy was presented by Ritt Mathis of Mathis Home, which was part of a major promotion to raise funds for CARMA and Thoroughbred aftercare. “The opening day event is just such a great thing to be a part of. For us the charitable connection of being able to support CARMA and Thoroughbred aftercare, putting the horse first on a day like today where we are all out here celebrating, is what makes it feel really good and what is in the center of our partnership. Trying to look after  horses and just being in love with these beautiful athletes.”

The post Scrappy Watsonville Edges Almendares In Mathis Mile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Ridden for the first time by four-time Eclipse Award champion Irad Ortiz, Jr., Phil D'Amato's Newgrange stalked a speedy Brickyard Ride around the far turn, took command while wide-out and went on to cruise to an easy 2 ¼ length win in Tuesday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Antonio Stakes, stopping the clock for a mile and one sixteenth in 1:42.79 as he provided D'Amato with a stakes double on Santa Anita's Classic Meet opening day.

As expected, multiple stakes winning sprinter Brickyard Ride showed the way early in the San Antonio, setting fractions of 23.26, 47.31, 1:11.11 and 1:36.10. Although headed by the winner a quarter mile out, Brickyard Ride battled on gamely at the rail but tired to finish third, beaten a half length for second money by Mixto.

A winner of the G2 San Pasqual Stakes four starts back here on Jan. 28, Newgrange was off at 7-2 in a field of five 3-year-olds and up and paid $9.60, $3.20 and $3.00.

Owned by David Bernsen, LLC, Little Red Feather Racing and Rockingham Ranch, Newgrange, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred colt by Violence out of the Empire Maker mare Bella Chianti, collected his fourth graded stakes win and his sixth overall victory from 12 starts.

Five-wide turning for home, Mixto, although last coming to the furlong pole, kept to his task and proved second best on the day under Antonio Fresu. Off at 9-1, he paid $6.80 and $3.80.

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Brickyard Ride, off at 5-1, paid $4.20 to show while finishing a half length in front of Argentine-bred Subsanador, who was making his U.S. debut as the 6-5 favorite.

Stilleto Boy, winner of this year's Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap, was never a factor and checked in last with no apparent excuses.

GRADE 2, $200,000 SAN ANTONIO STAKES QUOTES

IRAD ORTIZ, JR., JOCKEY OF NEWGRANGE, WINNER: “What can I say about the horse? He did everything, I was a good passenger. He was going perfectly the whole way and when I asked him to get, he responded. Honestly, I didn't know the horse, but I talked to Phil, and he told me exactly what I had to do I think, because everything went the right way. He told me to stay close and not to go head in head with the other horse. He's that kind of horse that you have to kind of help him to give it to you, but that wasn't the case today he was going so good. I didn't even have to move on top of him. At the quarter pole I just asked him, and he started going.”

PHILIP D'AMATO, TRAINER OF NEWGRANGE, WINNER: “This horse is starting to round into form. I think the long layoff did him some good. I know he likes Santa Anita. He was better the other day and he put it all together today. Irad (Ortiz Jr.) rode a perfect race. He stayed right behind Brickyard Ride and when it came time to run, he did the rest. I think we will point him toward the San Pasqual next.”

AVERY JOHNSON, NBA AND COLLEGE BASKETBALL ANALYST FOR CBS SPORTS: “I have been to Santa Anita several times. I'm a Breeders' Cup Ambassador so I was recently here for the Breeders' Cup. I have been in and around horse racing for forty plus years, growing up by the Fairgrounds in New Orleans. This coming year the 150th Kentucky Derby will be my 15th Kentucky Derby. My first one was Silver Charm back in 1997, so I'm a big fan. I love it because I can bring my family. We are just excited to be here.”

NOTES: The winning owners are David A. Bernsen, LLC, Little Red Feather Racing and Rockingham Ranch.

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Team Valor International LLC's Romagna Mia lived up to her 4-5 favorite's role Tuesday at Gulfstream Park while scoring an authoritative seven-length romp in the $125,000 Via Borghese.

Making her first start on Tapeta in the race for fillies and mares that had been scheduled for 1 3/8 miles on turf, the 4-year-old British-bred filly relaxed in fourth as Tass showed the way at a solid pace for the adjusted 1 ½-mile distance. Tass set fractions of 25.23 (seconds), 49.61, 1:15.45 and 1:40.54 for the first half mile before Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez pushed the 'Go' button on Romagna Mia, who responded with a three-wide sweep to the lead and an impressive stretch run while under little pressure.

“I would have been surprised if she hadn't [handled the Tapeta], although the synthetic is a bit of an unknown,” trainer Graham Motion said. “She kind of won for fun.”

Romagna Mia, a Group 2 winner in Europe, finished third in her U.S. debut in the Beverly D (G1) on turf at Colonial before capturing the 1 ½-mile Dowager (G3) over Keeneland's turf in her most recent start.

“She's an absolute pleasure to train. She's a lovely filly,” Motion said.

The gray daughter of Mastercraftsman ran 1 ½ miles on Tapeta in 2:28.69. Tass held gamely to finish second, 1 ¼ lengths ahead of Viva La Red.

Romagna Mia is likely to return in the $200,000 La Prevoyante (G3), a 1 ½-mile turf stakes for fillies and mares on the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) undercard Jan. 27 at Gulfstream Park.

Oisin Murphy Begins Championship Meet Stint Thursday

International star jockey Oisin Murphy will begin riding at Gulfstream Park Thursday, when he is named to ride Christophe Clement-trained Streamsong in a Race 9 maiden special weight for 2-year-olds on Tapeta.

Streamsong, a son of Omaha Beach who is rated fourth at 5-1 on the morning line, is scheduled to make his debut in the mile-and-70-yard race that drew a field of eight.

Murphy is named on two horses for Friday's card and five horses Saturday, including Marwad in the $200,000 Ft. Lauderdale (G2). The 28-year-old three-time British champion is slated to ride two horses Sunday, including Isabel Alexandra in the $100,000 Abundantia.

The post ‘She Kind Of Won For Fun’: Romagna Mia Lives Up To Favoritism In Gulfstream’s Via Borghese appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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