NBC Sports will provide extensive coverage of the 40th Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Santa Anita on Nov. 3-4. The season-culminating event features 14 races worth $31 million in purses.
Tag: Racing
BC Saturday Undercard: Millionaire Webslinger Could Be Tough To Beat In Twilight Derby
Easily the most accomplished horse in a field of 13, trainer Mark Casse's millionaire Webslinger should be tough to beat at a mile and one eighth on grass in Saturday's Grade 2, $250,000 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita.
Most recently second by a head at 1 3/16 miles on turf in the G1 Saratoga Invitational Derby Aug. 5, Webslinger ships in from his Keeneland base and will be handled by regular rider Javier Castellano.
A winner of the G2 American Turf May 6 at Churchill Downs, Webslinger is a three-time stakes winner that would prefer to rally into a fast pace but has proven he can lay close if necessary.
Owned by D.J. Stable, he was purchased for a bargain $50,000 as a 2-year-old and has amassed earnings of $1,025,320 from an overall race record of 11-4-3-1. By Constitution out of the Hard Spun mare Arana, Webslinger, who was beaten four lengths in last year's G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Keeneland, seeks his second graded stakes win on Saturday.
Trainer Leonard Powell's consistent Irish-bred Maltese Falcon, a winner as a maiden of the G3 La Jolla Handicap three starts back, was subsequently second by a head in the G2 Del Mar Derby at a mile and one eighth on grass Sept. 3 and was most recently fourth as the 2-1 favorite in a classified allowance here Oct. 8.
Owned by Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal, Maltese Falcon, who is 9-1-3-2, will be handled by regular rider Juan Hernandez and is another that would prefer to sit off of a lively early pace.
Phil D'Amato's English-bred Almendares, who rallied impressively to take his U.S. debut in a first condition allowance going a mile and one sixteenth on grass July 23, came back to run a solid third, beaten one length in the G2 Del Mar Derby and with Antonio Fresu set to ride him back, appears very much on the improve as he comes back at the same mile and one eighth distance.
Owned by CYBT, McLean Racing Stables, Saul Gervitz, Michael Nentwig and Ray Pagano, Almendares, who is 7-3-1-2 overall, is another solid contender who looks to be on the improve.
Lightly raced, Richard Mandella's English-bred Seal Team has nonetheless been very impressive through his four starts. A 3 ¾ length maiden winner at a mile and one eighth on turf three starts back at Del Mar Aug. 19, Seal Team was in command in his most recent out, a half length allowance win at the same trip on Oct. 8 here at Santa Anita—a race in which he earned a lofty 90 Beyer Speed Figure.
Bred by Bass Stables and owned by Perry and Ramona Bass, Seal Team, unbeaten at a mile and one eighth on turf, will make his first stakes appearance with regular rider Umberto Rispoli.
John Sadler's Irish-bred gelding Panic Alarm is yet another horse that appears to have considerable upside. Second, beaten one length by Maltese Falcon in his U.S. debut, the G3 LaJolla Stakes Aug. 6, Panic Alarm was in tight quarters around the far turn in the G2 Del Mar Derby when fourth, beaten 1 ½ lengths on Sept. 3.
Owned by Hronis Racing, LLC, Panic Alarm, who is 10-2-1-3, will be making his third start for Sadler on Saturday.
THE GRADE 2 TWILIGHT DERBY WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 2 of 12 Approximate post time 10:40 a.m. PT
- Reiquist—Ramon Vazquez —124
- Be Your Best – Irad Ortiz, Jr. – 121
- Reincarnate – Luis Saez – 124
- Packs A Wahlop – Hector Berrios – 124
- Panic Alarm – Lanfranco Dettori – 124
- Webslinger – Javier Castellano – 124
- Seal Team – Umberto Rispoli – 124
- Almendares – Antonio Fresu – 124
- California Bay – Tiago Pereira – 124
- Maltese Falcon – Juan Hernandez – 124
- Mondego – Joel Rosario – 124
- Silver Knott – William Buick – 124
- Watsonville – Flavian Prat – 124
Saturday is day two of the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita. With a blockbuster 12-race card that will include nine Breeders' Cup races, first post time is at 10:10 a.m. with admission gates opening at 8 a.m.
The post BC Saturday Undercard: Millionaire Webslinger Could Be Tough To Beat In Twilight Derby appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
First-Out Winner Mirinda Leads 11 For Friday’s Golden State Juvenile Fillies
A rollicking 6 ½ length first-out maiden winner going 5 ½ furlongs on Sept. 10, the Gary Mandella-trained Mirinda will stretch out to seven panels as she heads a field of 11 in Friday's $175,000 Golden State Juvenile Fillies at Santa Anita.
The Golden State Juvenile Fillies is part of the lucrative CTBA-sponsored Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired horses.
A $190,000 yearling purchase, Mirinda was off as the even money favorite in a field of 10 at Del Mar and led throughout in a powerful effort under Mike Smith, who rides back on Friday.
By Mitole out of the More Than Ready mare Whim, Mirinda is owned by Thomas Nichols.
A four length first-out maiden winner going 4 ½ furlongs as the 3-5 favorite on May 14 at Golden Gate Fields, Mr. and Mrs. Larry D. Williams' homebred Grand Slam Smile shipped south to Santa Anita and proved best at 7-2 in the five furlong Fasig Tipton Debutante June 17, winning by a half length over heavily backed Crazy Hot, who she'll face again on Friday.
Based at Golden Gate with veteran conditioner Steve Specht, Grand Slam Smile proved plenty tough at 5 ½ furlongs, when a close second in the CTBA Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 6. Freshened since, she should be plenty tough with a bullet 59.40 gate drill, best of 58 at the distance, on Oct. 23 at Golden Gate.
By Smiling Tiger out of the Grand Slam mare Royal Grand Slam, Grand Slam Smile will be ridden for the fourth consecutive time by Frank Alvarado, who recently notched his 4,000 career win.
THE $175,000 GOLDEN STATE JUVENILE FILLIES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 2 of 10 Approximate post time 12 p.m. PT
- Recalcitrant—Lanfranco Dettori—122
- Borntostaythirsty—Tiago Pereira—122
- Satellite Heart—Umberto Rispoli—120
- Petit Filet—Ricardo Ramirez—122
- Mirinda—Mike Smith—122
- Prancingthruparis—Antonio Fresu—122
- Grand Slam Smile—Frank Alvarado—124
- Madison Rae—Flavien Prat—122
- Fly A Fantasy—Kent Desormeaux—122
- Putt For Dough—Mario Gutierrez—122
- Crazy Hot—John Velazquez–124
Friday is day one of the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita. With a blockbuster 10-race card that will include five Breeders' Cup races, first post time is at 11:30 a.m. with admission gates opening at 9:30 a.m.
The post First-Out Winner Mirinda Leads 11 For Friday’s Golden State Juvenile Fillies appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Dr. No No Heads 12 Statebreds For Friday’s Golden State Juvenile
Trainer Brian Koriner's talented Dr. No No, a winner of two out of his three starts, heads a wide-open field of 12 statebreds going seven furlongs in Friday's $175,000 Golden State Juvenile at Santa Anita.
A sharp third in his five furlong debut July 22 at Del Mar, this chestnut colt by Smiling Tiger came back to break his maiden going six furlongs by a dazzling 8 ¼ lengths on Aug. 13. Subsequently an extra-game nose winner at the same distance versus Cal-breds in the I'm Smokin Stakes Sept. 8, Dr. No No stamped himself the horse to beat in the Golden State Juvenile.
The Golden State Juvenile is part of the lucrative CTBA-sponsored Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired horses.
Owned by Rusty Brown and Alan Klein, Dr. No No, who is out of the Run Away and Hide mare Enayat Alsalam, will be ridden for the third consecutive time by Ramon Vazquez.
A longtime assistant to veteran conditioner Hector Palma, Jose Valdez saddled Magic Spoon to an impressive come from behind first-out win going six furlongs here on Oct. 7, as he overcame early trouble and won going away by three quarters of a length.
A chestnut colt by Good Magic out of the Canadian Frontier mare Canadian Mistress, Magic Spoon is owned by George Yager's BG Stables and Valdez and will be ridden back by Tiago Pereira.
THE $175,000 GOLDEN STATE JUVENILE WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 4 of 10 Approximate post time 1 p.m. PT
- Dr. No No—Ramon Vazquez—124
- Stay On the Fence—Ricardo Gonzalez—120
- Just a Guess—Mario Gutierrez—122
- Shady Appeal—Kent Desormeaux—122
- Salsation—Edwin Maldonado—120
- Private Gem—Flavien Prat—120
- Mr. Suds—Kyle Frey—122
- Going Mobile—Irad Ortiz, Jr.—122
- Tiger in My Tank—Hector Berrios—122
- Last Call London—Juan Hernandez—122
- Magic Spoon—Tiago Pereira—122
- Mici's Express—Joel Rosario–122
Friday is day one of the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships at Santa Anita. First post time for a 10-race card that will include five Breeders' Cup races is at 11:30 a.m. with admission gates opening at 9:30 a.m.
The post Dr. No No Heads 12 Statebreds For Friday’s Golden State Juvenile appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
