Tag: Racing

Favorite Marissa's Lady ran down pacesetter B G Warrior in the final strides to win Saturday's 37th running of the $125,000 Holiday Inaugural Stakes, launching the three-race 'Make Your Mare' series at Turfway Park.

In partnership with Claiborne Farm, the Holiday Inaugural is the first race in the series that will award fillies and mares credit towards a future stallion paring upon their retirement.

The Holiday Inaugural was Marissa's Lady's fourth lifetime victory at Turfway Park and eighth overall from 14 career starts. The 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Violence was ridden by Rafael Bejarano for trainer Bill Morey. She is campaigned as a homebred for Boone Family Trust and Tillema Family Trust.

In the opening stages of the six-furlong Holiday Inaugural, B G Warrior and jockey Joe Ramos were intent on making the lead. They were briefly joined on the front end by fellow longshot Thunders Rocknroll through a swift opening quarter-mile in :21.95. Marissa's Lady sat third down the backstretch, just to the outside of the dueling leaders. Shortly after the first quarter mile, Thunders Rocknroll began to retreat while B G Warrior continued her torrid pace with a :43.95 half-mile time. As the field entered the stretch, B G Warrior increased her lead by two lengths over Marissa's Lady, but she began to shorten her stride. In the final jump, Marissa's Lady collared B G Warrior for a neck victory in a final time of 1:09.42 on the all-weather track.

Bling was third, a neck behind B G Warrior.

Marissa's Lady returned $5.46 for the win.

As part of the 'Make Your Mare' series, top three finishers in the Holiday Inaugural were awarded $10,000, $5,000 and $2,500 in credits to use for a future stallion pairing at the famed Paris, Ky. farm through the 2025 breeding season.

The Holiday Inaugural's winner's share of $72,434 boosted Marissa's Lady's overall earnings to $649,600. Her dam is the Cee's Tizzy mare Marissa's Joy.

The 'Make Your Mare' series continues next Saturday with the second race of the series: the $125,000 My Charmer going 1 1/16 miles.

The post Marissa’s Lady Up In Time In ‘Make Your Mare’ Holiday Inaugural At Turfway Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Speed was the key for gray Irish-bred filly Zona Verde, who won the $100,000 Jimmy Durante (G3) for juvenile fillies on the front end Saturday at Del Mar.

Under Del Mar's leading rider, Juan Hernandez, and trained by the track's leading conditioner, Phil D'Amato, Zona Verde won by one length from favorite Lady de Berry while covering the one-mile on firm turf in 1:36.02. The winner was registering her first stakes victory and paid a handsome $23.60 to her backers.

En route to the her victory, Zona Verde clocked early fractions of :23.59 for the opening quarter mile, :48.08 for the half mile, and 1:12.15 for six furlongs.

Lady de Berry outfinished third-place finisher Yatta by a neck in the field of 10.

Zona Verde, a daughter of Coolmore's Irish-based stallion Calyx, started her career in April in Ireland and was unsuccessful in four maiden weight-for-age races. Sent to the U.S. this summer, she landed her United States debut Sept. 8 at Del Mar, then was sixth in the Surfer Girl (G3) Oct. 8 at Santa Anita in her stakes bow, but she would not be denied Saturday.

The winner, campaigned by Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, McLean Racing Stables and Michale Nentwig, picked up a the winner's share of $60,000 from the Jimmy Durante purse, pushing her bankroll to $114,926. She was bred by Knockainey Stud from the Dark Angel mare Namibie.

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Under a savvy ride by youthful veteran Flavien Prat, the British-bred ridgling Program Trading rolled late to come away a neck winner in the Hollywood Derby (G1), once again denying Webslinger a Grade 1 win, Saturday afternoon at Del Mar.

The son of Lope de Vega campaigned by Klaravich Stable Inc. was sent west for the race by trainer Chad Brown. He was well behind early in the field of seven 3-year-olds in the nine-furlong turf test, but was maneuvered to the front near the eighth pole, then responded to Prat's urgings to hold off hard-charging Webslinger nearing the wire. Over the summer, Program Trading denied a breakthrough Grade 1 win to Webslinger, when he defeated him by a head in the Saratoga Derby Invitational (G1) Aug. 5.

Finishing third in the Hollywood Derby was Silver Knott, 2 1/4 lengths behind Webslinger.

“He was actually pretty relaxed before the race,” Prat said. “We had a good trip; the pace was pretty fair. He relaxed well, he had a good turn of foot. Luckily there was a horse in front of me that bolted around the turn, so I had a clear path. As soon as I asked him to make a run, he was there for me. I think he will still improve. He has run well every time.”

The winner, who went off at 9-10, paid $3.80 after covering the nine panels in 1:47.82 on firm turf. He earned a first prize of $180,000 from the gross purse of $301,000 to increase his bankroll to $695,520. It was his fourth victory from his fifth career start.

Brown was winning his fourth Hollywood Derby; Prat won his first.

Bred in Great Britain by Fittocks Stud and Arrow Farm and Stud, Program Trading is out of the Oasis Dream mare Dreamlike. He was $356,551 purchase by Mike Ryan, agent, at the 2021 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale.

The post Program Trading Lands Hollywood Derby, Again Denies Webslinger Grade 1 Win In Close Finish appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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After praising the ability of his 2-year-old Patriot Spirit before the 38th edition of the $100,000 Inaugural Stakes Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs, trainer Michael Campbell knew he had placed a target on his colt's back.

But the old saying “It ain't bragging if you can do it” clearly applied after the Kentucky-bred son of Constitution and jockey Samy Camacho powered to a 1¾-length victory from an onrushing Crazy Mason in a more-than-adequate time of 1:10.26 for the six furlongs on a fast track.

“This horse is so talented,” said Campbell, who trains Patriot Spirit for owner George Mellon's Mellon Patch Inc. “I asked Samy to describe him in one word after the race, and he said, 'Amazing.' I always thought from the moment I bought him (for Mellon for $235,000 at the OBS March Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale) he'll take me to Kentucky and I think he will, but time will tell.”

Like his seven Inaugural rivals, Patriot Spirit turns 3 on Jan. 1, so it seemed premature to press Campbell on where (and when) in Kentucky he'd like to go. But his runner out of Grade I winner Mistical Plan, by Game Plan, racing Saturday without blinkers, seems to have every right to improve, perhaps starting with the $125,000 Pasco Stakes going seven furlongs on Jan. 1 at the Oldsmar, Fla. track.

Pacesetter Rathmore, held on gamely to finish third, 2 1/2 lengths behind Crazy Mason

“I smooched at my horse at the quarter-mile pole and just tried to be pretty cool in the saddle,” said Camacho, who let Patriot Spirit do the rest. “I want to thank Michael Campbell for this opportunity, because this looks like a horse that can win graded races.”

Patriot Spirit, who was bred by Blue Heaven Farm, returned $3.20 as the 3-5 favorite.

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