Tag: Racing

On a day when legendary Chicago Bears middle linebacker Dick Butkus was poised to present the winner's trophy, Bob Baffert's heavily favored Adare Manor didn't disappoint, as she completely dominated four rivals going a mile and one eighth in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Margarita Stakes at Santa Anita.  Ridden to her third consecutive victory by Juan Hernandez, she got the distance in 1:49.79.

Although multiple stakes winning Desert Dawn was hustled to keep her company early, Adare Manor made a relatively easy lead into the clubhouse turn, enabling Hernandez to fold over to the rail from his number two post position and from there, the Santa Margarita was never in doubt.

“She moves really smooth,” said Hernandez, who registered his meet-leading 10^th stakes win and 34^th overall victory on this, the 24^th day of Santa Anita's Hollywood Meeting.  “She just takes me there, I just let her go and you don't feel anything because she was just galloping and moving really smooth.  She is really fun.”

A 4 ¾-length winner of the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes on April 29, Adare Manor was off at 1-5 and returned $2.60, $2.10 and $2.10.

A 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Uncle Mo out of the Giant Gizmo mare Brooklynsway, Adare Manor notched her third graded stakes win and her fifth win from 11 overall starts for owner Michael Lund Petersen.  With the winner's share of $120,000, she increased her earnings to $621,600.

Baffert, who was away to saddle Preakness winner National Treasure in the Belmont Stakes, got his third career win in the Santa Margarita which was contested for the 84^th time.

Considered by many to be the greatest middle linebacker in the history of the NFL, Butkus was asked to compare jockeys as athletes to professional football players by XBTV's Millie Ball.

“I think (jockeys) gotta have that attitude that whatever mount he is on, he's going to naturally try to win it, so I don't think anybody rides to lose,” he said.  “I think that competitive edge is what all athletes do.  They want to excel, they want to win.  It is a horse race, there are eight to 10 horses, so you gotta go after it…”

In search of her second graded stakes win, Desert Dawn paid the price for chasing the winner early, as she tired a sixteenth of a mile from home, finishing 2 ½ lengths behind Kirstenbosch.

Ridden by Hector Berrios, Kirstenbosch rallied nicely for the place and paid $5.00 and $2.10 while off at 12-1.

The second choice at 5-2, Arizona-bred Desert Dawn paid $2.10 to show while finishing 1 ¼ lengths in front of Smoothlikebuttah.

Fractions on the race were 24.20, 48.47, 1:12.12 and 1:36.64.

The post Adare Manor Bears Down For Santa Margarita Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Up to the Mark collared pacesetter Strong Quality in early stretch and shook free to win the $750,000 Resorts World Casino Manhatttan (G1) Saturday at Belmont Park.

The 4-year-old Not This Time colt, ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for trainer Todd Pletcher, won by 2 1/4 lengths from Soldier Rising, while Ottoman Fleet checked in third, a head back.

Up to the Mark returned $5.30 for the victory after covering 1 1/4 miles on firm turf in 1:59.31. He posted a second successive win at the highest level as he entered Saturday race off a breakthrough performance in the Old Forester Bourbon Turf Classic (G1) going 1 1/8 mile at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day, May 6.

Overall, Up to the Mark has won half of his 10 career starts, including four of five outings this year.

Bred in Kentucky by Ramspring Farm, Up to the Mark is out of the Ghostzapper mare Belle's Finale. He was a $450,000 purchase at the 2020 Keeneland September yearling sale, where Taylor Made Sales Agency consigned him.

The post Up To The Mark Notches Second Straight Elite-Level Win In Manhattan appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Trainer Cherie DeVaux makes no secret about what the ultimate goal is for Shotgun Hottie this year: Get the 4-year-old daughter of Gun Runner a graded stakes win.

Shotgun Hottie took a big step toward that, cruising to a 5½-length victory in Saturday's $100,000 Lady's Secret Stakes at Monmouth Park, a win that carries free entry and start fees to the Molly Pitcher (G3) on July 22.

“We'll probably stay the course and go to the Molly Pitcher next,” said DeVaux. “We'll see how she comes out of it and go from there. The goal with her is to try to win a graded stakes. It's a pretty tough group this year, so we'll see what happens.””

In her fourth start for DeVaux since she was transferred from Thomas Morley's barn, Shotgun Hottie expended little energy in putting away her five rivals in the 1 1/16-mile eature for fillies and mares.

The winning time was 1:43.64.

After running a non-threatening third in her last start in the Serena's Song Stakes at Monmouth Park on May 14, Shotgun Hottie found herself atypically on the lead – but for good reason. The opening quarter went in a plodding :25.16 over a track that had been playing fast all day.

“She usually likes to come off the pace from what I saw of her races but nobody took the lead so I took it,” said jockey Paco Lopez, who added to his meet-leading totals with four winners on the 11-race card. “Everyone let me go. It was easy so I took it. When you go fractions like this, good fillies get into a rhythm and they do it easily. I really didn't have to use her much after the opening half. She did it so easily.”

Sent off as the 3-2 favorite, Shotgun Hottie powered to the front after the opening quarter and never faced a serious threat. One was supposed to come from Leader of the Band, but the 8-5 second choice never fired, finishing off the board. Lightly-raced Signal From Noise held for second, 1¼ lengths ahead of Miss New York.

The win improved Shotgun Hottie's career record to 14-4-4-2 for owners Omar Aldabbagh and Jeff Ganje. She returned $5 for the win.

“Paco did a really good job when they came out of the gate and he sensed there was a slow pace and he just took control of the situation,” said DeVaux. “Her last race she got into some trouble and it was a speed-favoring track. This time he didn't rush her to the lead. She just got there naturally. The track wasn't playing to her favor last time and she got in trouble. It wasn't anybody's fault. She's a big filly and you can't get her stopped. You have to keep her clear and Paco did that.

“She was quite impressive the first race I ran her at Oaklawn. But this would be her most impressive race since I've had her and I think it showed a different dimension.”

Shotgun Hottie has had four cracks at winning a graded stakes, with two seconds and a third to show for it. She was second in the Monmouth Oaks (G3) a year ago.

Lopez, who rode Leader of the Band in her last race, said he wound up on the winner this time because “the owners weren't happy with the ride (in the Serena's Song aboard Leader of the Band).”

“So I jumped at the opportunity when Cherie gave me this chance,” he said.

Shotgun Hottie, who was bred in Kentucky by Vincent Colbert, was produced by the Malibu Moon mare Re Entry. She sold out of the Gene Recio consignment at the 2021 OBS spring sale of 2-year-olds in training to Jeff Ganje for $45,000.

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