Tag: Racing

Heavily favored at 3-5, Phil D'Amato's French-bred Easter tipped five-wide turning for home en route to a powerful 1 ¼ length victory in Tuesday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes, one of six graded events on Santa Anita's Classic Meet opening day.

Ridden by Antonio Fresu, Easter was under a snug hold down the backside, last by about four lengths passing the half mile pole and despite the fact Frankie Dettori had carved out a moderate early pace aboard Eastern Ocean, Easter was simply too much, as he ran up his third consecutive stakes victory, getting a mile and one eighth on turf in 1:47.60.

A gutty half length winner of the Grade 2 Seabiscuit Handicap going a mile and one sixteenth on turf at Del Mar Nov. 25, Easter dominated the wagering versus five rivals aged three and up and paid $3.40, $2.40 and $2.10.

A 5-year-old gelding making his second start for D'Amato raced almost exclusively through five starts in New York this year for trainer Graham Motion. Easter, owned by Madaket Stables, LLC, picked up $120,000 for the win, increasing his earnings to $567,910 while improving his overall mark to 19-7-3-3.

Ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., Missed the Cut raced as a team with Easter to the far turn and finished well to be second, a nose in front of Tio Magico. Off at 4-1, Missed the Cut paid $3.60 and $2.60.

The second choice at 7-2 with Flavien Prat, Tio Magico, who is also conditioned by D'Amato, got the jump on his stablemate turning for home but was no match for him late as he checked in third and paid $2.40 to show.

Fractions on the race were 24.64, 48.76, 1:12.66 and 1:36.21.

GRADE 2, $200,000 SAN GABRIELSTAKES QUOTES

ANTONIO FRESU, JOCKEY OF EASTER, WINNER: “This horse was fantastic in the final eighth. I was a little concerned about the pace because we only had six horses. He was really relaxed today and I took him to the outside in the last quarter. I tapped him once and he really quickened. I'm really happy with his performance. He is not an easy horse to trainer or to ride, but I really think there is a lot more there.”

PHIL D'AMATO, TRAINER OF EASTER, WINNER: “Antonio (Fresu) said he broke out of the gate a little more lethargic than normal. He got in a good stride down the backside and thought he was going to come with a run, luckily it worked out. For a Euro he is a really good size, he's just a horse to me, he has a ton of talent. They didn't go that fast early, for him to just come from behind and make that big looping move and not look back, he just flew home.

“I think two things helped today, when he won under Graham (Motion) he got his confidence up. We also learned that he liked the firmer turf courses over here. Between those two things and getting to know his quirks, he is a very quirky horse and just knowing what he likes to do and just keep him happy. I think hopefully sky's the limit.”

NOTES: The winning owner is Madaket Stables, LLC.

The post ‘Hopefully Sky’s The Limit’: Easter Finishes Fast To Capture Tuesday’s San Gabriel appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Team Valor International LLC's Romagna Mia (GB) has been installed as the 6-5 morning-line favorite for Tuesday's $125,000 Via Borghese at Gulfstream Park, where the 1 3/8-mile turf stakes for fillies and mares could well turn out to be a steppingstone for the $500,000 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Jan. 27.

The 4-year-old Mastercraftsman filly,  a Group 2 winner in Europe, has gotten off to a solid start in the U.S., finishing third in the Beverly D. (G1) Aug. 12 at Colonial Downs and a victory in the Dowager (G3) Oct. 22 at Keeneland.

“The goal was to try to get a Grade 1-placing, which we did. That was a big score,” trainer Graham Motion said he said of the filly's Beverley D. effort. “Then she came back to win really comfortably at Keeneland.”

Romagna Mia settled off the pace in the 1½-mile Dowager before surging in the stretch to win by three lengths.

“I think she's pretty exciting,” Motion said. “Just watching her breeze and train, she seems to do things very easily. I thought her win was very impressive.”

John Velazquez has the return call on Romagna Mia.

Roger Keith Long Revocable Trust's Miss Yearwood enters the Via Borghese off a seven-month layoff in her search for her third straight victory. The 4-year-old daughter of Will Take Charge, who is rated second at 9-5 on the morning line, captured the 1 ½-mile Keertana Stakes at Churchill Downs in May.

Chris Landeros has the return call on the Ian Wilkes-trained graded stakes-placed homebred.

AMO Racing USA's Maman Joon (IRE) is slated to make her U.S. debut after competing in group races in Europe. The Jorge Delgado-trained daughter of Sea The Stars will be ridden by Miguel Vasquez.

Indicia, Viva La Red, Sensitivity, Coco, and Tass round out the field.

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Jockey Luis Saez took F Five to the front and never relinquished the lead to win Sunday's $100,000 H. Allen Jerkens Handicap going two miles on the turf at Gulfstream Park.

Trained by Brian Lynch and owned by Ferro Family Trust, Larry Connor, and Bruno DeBerdt, F Five covered the distance in 3:20.81. Team Valor International's McLovin was second, a neck behind the winner, and Six Minus was third in the field of eight.

F Five entered the Jerkens after a 10th place finish in the River City (G3) in November at Churchill Downs, his first start off a 2½-month layoff after two consecutive victories over the turf at Ellis Park and the Louisville oval. The 4-year-old son of Not This Time won those races at 1 1/8 miles and 1 3/8th miles. Lynch said the plan was to put F Five on the front.

“You would have to bend him in half to take him back in a race like that, and Luis was almost having to do that to walk the dog on the front end,” Lynch said. “But just an unbelievable ride. It's always a lot of fun for me to run these kind of distances…it's always fun to get one to go two miles.”

After going a half in :51.24, a mile in 1:43.53, and 1¼ miles in 2:09.49, McLovin drew alongside F Five entering the stretch, but the winner gamely held off the challenge.

Lynch said F Five, who has annexed three of five starts this year, could return Jan. 27 on Pegasus World Cup Day in the $200,000 W.L. McKnight (G3) at 1½ miles on the turf.

F Five ($5.40) was bred in Kentucky by Woods Edge Farm LLC from the Lion Heart mare Chelan Echo. Agent Bruno DeBerdt purchased him from his breeder for $260,000 at the the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Overall, F Five has a 4-1-0 record from seven lifetime outings and $270,668 in career purse earnings.

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