Tag: Racing

Top 5-year-old mares Songline (JPN) and Sodashi (JPN), the first two finishers in the May 14 Victoria Mile (G1), will renew their rivalry June 4 against male opponents in the US$2.5 million Yasuda Kinen (G1) at Tokyo Racecourse.

The 73rd Yasuda Kinen, which drew a deep field of 18 starters, will be run at a mile for 3-year-olds and up and will be shown live on FanDuel TV at 11:40 p.m. PT Saturday evening. The race winner earns an automatic starting position and fees paid in the US$2 million FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) through the Breeders' Cup Challenge Series: Win and You're In.

The Breeders' Cup Challenge Series is an international series of 80 Graded/Group stakes races whose winners receive automatic starting positions and fees paid into a corresponding race of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, scheduled to be held Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

Sunday Racing Co. Ltd.'s Songline, the defending champion, earned a Breeders' Cup Challenge Series berth into the Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) when she surged in the final yards to defeat Sodashi by a head in the Victoria Mile at Tokyo three weeks ago for her sixth win in 14 starts.

“She's come back from the farm in great condition,” Songline's trainer, Toru Hayashi, told the Japan Racing Association. “Jockey Keita Tosaki had worked with her for three weeks before the last race and has really got to understand her well. She started smoothly last time, and it really was a great performance, one which we hope she can reproduce again here.”

A daughter of Kizuna (JPN), Songline won last year's Yasuda Kinen by a neck over Schnell Meister (GER) to gain a free berth into the FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile. She was scheduled to run in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland, but the trip was canceled due to an epiglottis inflammation.

Songline will break from the extreme outside post.

Sodashi appeared on her way to defending her title in the rainswept Victoria Mile before Songline passed her suddenly on the inside, disappointing the legion of fans who marvel at her striking white coat. A daughter of Kurofune (JPN), the Kaneko Makoto Holdings Co. Ltd. homebred has won seven of 15 starts for trainer Naosuke Sugai. Her resume includes two other Group 1 wins: the Osaka Hai (Japanese 1000 Guineas) in 2021 and the Hanshin Juvenile Fillies as a 2-year-old.

“Now [that] she's older, things are smoother with her, especially loading at the gate and when she's in the gate,” Sugai said of Sodashi. “It was a good run last time, and nothing else got to her except the winner. Thankfully, she came out of that race with no problems.”

G1 Racing Co. Ltd.'s 4-year-old Serifos (JPN) finished fourth in last year's Yasuda Kinen, but after a summer break came back strong in October to win the 1-mile Fuji Stakes (G2) over the Tokyo course. The son of Daiwa Major (JPN) topped that performance in his next outing, capturing the Nov. 20 Mile Championship (G1) at Hanshin by 1 1/4 lengths for trainer Mitsumasa Nakauchida. A five-time winner, Serifos opened the season with a fifth-place finish in the 1 1/8-mile Dubai Turf (G1) in March at Meydan.

Toshiyuki Maehara's 5-year-old Jack d'Or (JPN), trained by Kenichi Fujioka, has made his last five starts at the 1 1/4-mile distance, and earned his first Group 1 win when he began 2023 with a gate-to-wire score in the 1 1/4-mile Osaka Hai at Hanshin April 2, defeating Stars on Earth (JPN) by a nose. It was the eighth win in 14 starts for the son of Maurice (JPN) out of the Unbridled's Song mare Ravarino. Last August, Jack d'Or won the Sapporo Kinen (G2) over Panthalassa (JPN). In his next start, the Tenno Sho (G1) at Tokyo, Jack d'Or finished fourth behind Equinox (JPN) and Panthalassa. This year, Panthalassa captured the Saudi Cup (G1) in February, while Equinox won the Dubai Sheema Classic (G1) at Meydan in March to earn the top spot in the latest Longines World's Best Race Horse Rankings.

Sunday Racing's Schnell Meister split horses in the final 100 yards of last year's Yasuda Kinen and came up just short of defeating Songline. He finished third in the race in 2021. That season, the son of Kingman (GB) won his first Group 1, taking the NHK Mile Cup over Songline. He broke a six-race losing streak in dramatic fashion this year in the April 23 Yomiuri Milers Cup (G2) at Kyoto. Coming from 11th at the top of stretch on the far outside under jockey Christophe Lemaire, Schnell Meister rushed past an extended line of horses to get up by a neck over Gala Force (JPN), registering his fifth career win for trainer Takahisa Tezuka.

Yoichi Aoyama's 3-year-old homebred Champagne Color (JPN) will be making just his sixth start but comes into the race off a big upset at Tokyo where he took the May 7 NHK Mile Cup (G1), rolling from 13th in the final stages to claim victory by a neck at 22-1. It was the third win in five starts at Tokyo for the son of Duramante (JPN), who is trained by Tsuyoshi Tanaka.

A third female entrant is Nagayo Keiba, Co. Ltd.'s 5-year-old Meikei Yell (JPN), who has won seven of her 15 starts for trainer Hidenori Take. Focused mostly on sprint races in 2022, the daughter of Mikki Isle (JPN) won the Keio Hai Spring Cup (G2) last May at Tokyo and the Sankei Sho Centaur Stakes (G2) in September. She will look to improve on her 2023 debut when she finished 12th of 18 in the 6-furlong Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1) at Chukyo on March 26 over a soft course.

Also of interest is one of Japan's top dirt horses, Koichi Nishikawa's 6-year-old Cafe Pharoah, a Kentucky-bred son of 2015 Triple Crown and Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner American Pharoah. Trained by Noriyuki Hori, Cafe Pharoah won the February Stakes (G1) going a mile in 2021 and 2022, twice earning an automatic berth into the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic. This year, Cafe Pharoah finished third in the Saudi Cup and 12th in the Dubai World Cup (G1).

The post Sodashi, Songline Renew Rivalry In ‘Win And You’re In’ Yasuda Kinen appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Frankie Dettori rode a seventh Epsom Oaks winner this Friday on Soul Sister (11-4). The Frankel filly scored by a length and three-quarters from 5-6 favorite Savethelastdance.

Dettori's previous Oaks winners were Balanchine (1994), Moonshell (1995), Kazzia (2002), Enable (2017), Anapurna (2019) and Snowfall (2021). He has now ridden 23 English Classic winners.

John Gosden, who trains the winner along with his son Thady, was enjoying a fourth Oaks success after Taghrooda (2014), Enable (2017) and Anapurna (2019).

Winning owner-breeder Lady Bamford previously enjoyed Oaks success with Sariska (2009).

Frankie Dettori told ITV Racing: “That means a lot – seven Oaks winners. Lady Bamford is a big supporter of mine and in my last year that is my second Classic winner – unbelievable.

“I have ridden two great fillies this afternoon – Emily Upjohn and this one. I just want to soak it in now!

Soul Sister provided both Dettori and John & Thady Gosden with a 13-1 Ladies Day following the earlier success of Emily Upjohn in the DahlBury Coronation Cup.

FRANKIE DETTORI WINS HIS FINAL BETFRED OAKS!

Soul Sister with a stunning performance #DerbyFestival @betfred pic.twitter.com/vVcNJtT19T

— Epsom Downs Racecourse (@EpsomRacecourse) June 2, 2023

Dettori added: “Obviously Emily (Upjohn) was incredible and then in the Oaks she's a good filly. It was a bit messy at the beginning and took us a bit of a while to get organised and I had to bite the bullet. I wanted to slot in behind Ryan (Moore, on Savethelastdance) but William (Buick, on Eternal Hope) was in there before me.

“I followed Buick and he dived very quickly around Tattenham Corner and so I had to take evasive actions and swing right. We got organised and sat quiet between the three and the one and a half furlong poles and then I was just hoping that if I pressed the button she would go – and she did go. She's shown so much class.

“If I stayed on one more year, I may get close to Lester (Piggott)'s 30 (Classic wins). I'm joking! It's incredible and I've had some fantastic rides. Emily and Soul Sister mean it's two in the bag and we've one to go with Arrest tomorrow. I'm very excited about tomorrow, John (Gosden)'s horses are on fire as you can see and hopefully it continues tomorrow. We can't change the weather and it is what it is. He'll either like it or he won't, but he's definitely good enough to make a good account of himself.

“It is mental, I'll be honest with you. I thought I had three good rides in the three Group One races, but to have two in the bag already with the Derby to go is crazy. I'm stuck for words, I'm sorry!

“I was able to enjoy the screaming of all of the crowd and I couldn't believe I'd won another Oaks! I was able to enjoy it and I loved it as I knew I'd won. Usually when you win the Oaks they give you an oak tree, the last one I got for Snowfall my dog decided to play with it and ripped it around the garden, so I could do with a new tree!

“When I passed them all I knew as I'd come from the back, so I knew there was nobody behind me. You don't get many opportunities to celebrate like that – maybe with Snowfall who was 20 lengths clear – but all the owners are here and all the gang so to go home and say I've done a 100% job is great.

“At the moment things are going well, but you can easily mess up in this game! Five months is a long time.”

John Gosden said: “She was about to get stacked three or four wide, so Frankie did the wise thing and took her back in and rode her with confidence, giving her every chance. I could see she was coming strongly but I didn't know if she'd stay the mile and a half, but she did, and she stayed it well, which she needed. This last half furlong up the hill will find them out, but she stuck her neck out and she's a classy filly,

“Her family are milers, but looking at her pedigree I saw Darshaan under the third dam, so I thought there was a chance she'd stay. I didn't know until the two marker what was going to happen, but it was a strongly run race and she's beaten two nice fillies, seeing it out well.”

“I think she's versatile enough to go a mile and a quarter or a mile and a half. It's great for her to win a Classic for the owners, who bred her at their own farm, and let me tell you, that's not an easy game. It's hard enough to get a mare in foal, let alone breed a horse like that.

“The Irish Oaks is a possibility at this stage, but it's a bit early to say.

“Newbury wasn't her fault. She hated the ground, and with that heavy ground in the spring I told Frankie that if she's not liking it look after her. He decided to just lob up there and not ask her anything. She had a lovely day out. It was a piece of work, but she wasn't favourite, which was good, and it benefited her enormously and it gave me something to build on.”

“Frankie is riding as well as he ever has. We had a cup of coffee before the race and it must have been a very strong cup of coffee, because he's riding like a demon.

“I was really happy when he decided to drop her in and save ground. You can't go three or four wide around here and expect to win, unless you are 25 lengths the best

“I was naturally concerned she wouldn't stay as she showed a lot of speed in the Musidora, but she's done it extremely well and showed a great attitude.

“She came out of the Musidora very well and the stud have been fantastic. I told Lady Bamford I wanted to run her here and she said 'are you sure' and I said 'yes please, can I' and the rest is history.

“The obvious race for her is the Irish Oaks, but I wouldn't be frightened of any race at a mile and a quarter as she's got the gears.

“It's been a huge day, with Emily Upjohn winning too, and they both have fabulous owners.

“It's my fourth Oaks, but we've had some bad luck in the race too. A few get knocked over, but it happens. It's lovely to win such a fabulous race and it's great of Fred (Done) to sponsor. It was a big move by him. He's a brilliant man.

“Running Lion has never done anything wrong before – she's a pussycat. She got her leg caught in the gate and cut it, so they had to take her out, and then she got loose. We'll get her right and then take her for the Prix de Diane in 16 days' time.”

PLACED CONNECTIONS

Aidan O'Brien, trainer of runner-up Savethelastdance, said: “She has run well but she obviously handles soft ground and stays very well. We were very happy with her really. She has a lot of options and we can do whatever. She is a big honest filly that stays very well and handles soft ground when it comes. She handles good ground but soft ground doesn't bother her.

“Ryan (Moore) was very happy and said she ran a good race. She stayed on very well. The winner was a bit quicker than her on the better ground but she ran well. She ran a great race but she was beaten by a very classy filly. Ryan said she was not finished going to the line and that she was still going strong. A furlong out she looked like she was going to be third but she stayed on well to be second. We will take her home and nothing is ruled in or out.”

Jack Channon, trainer of third-placed Caernarfon, said: “At the top of the hill she was travelling so well, but you could see that Frankie was travelling just as well. We picked up just as well as her [Soul Sister] up until about the furlong pole, and she probably hasn't quite got up the hill.

“She's a very good filly, we're blessed to have her in the yard, and it's just a massive thank you to everyone in the yard who has done such a great job. They produce all of my horses to run so well and I can't be more grateful for all the work they've done. And obviously to Steven and Lesley Smith and their team at Hunscote Stud for believing in me and trusting me to go for the Oaks; trust me, there was a lot of discussion about it. It's fantastic.”

WHAT THE BEATEN JOCKEYS SAID

Connor Beasley, rider of Caernarfon (3rd)

“A big run. I jumped well, but she's not the biggest and I just got bustled out of the position I needed, so I had to take the medicine and drop her away to the back.

“She travelled lovely into the race. Coming away down Tattenham Corner there she came underneath me really good and I thought, I've just got to try and pick a way through. She obviously hit the front and I don't think she's quite seen it out.

“But it was amazing, what she's just done there, and I think we've got a very nice filly to go to war with.

“I can't thank Jack and Mick Channon enough and the owners – they've stood by me with her.”

Kevin Stott, rider of Maman Joon (4th)

“It was a really good run on just her second start. She will be going places and we like her a lot. I was riding for luck more than anything and it turned out the way I wanted. “They just quickened up a bit quicker than I did but that is probably down to her inexperience but it was a good run. I think there is a nice prize in her.”

Clifford Lee, rider of Bright Diamond (5th)

“She jumped well and got a lovely position but I was always just a bit off it. I got beat fair and square by better horses. The ground was plenty quick enough but the further I was going, the better she was getting.”

Cristian Demuro, rider of Heartache Tonight (6th)

“I had a perfect race, it was just the ground. She loves heavy ground, and that makes the difference for her.”

William Buick, rider of Eternal Hope (7th)

“She had a nice posi but struggled on the track, as a lot of them do.”

Rob Hornby, rider of Sea Of Roses (8th)

“She was a bit out of her grade and she'd prefer slower ground on a more conventional track. We are still working her out, but she's solid.”

Wayne Lordan, rider of Red Riding Hood (9th)

He said: “She ran too keen. I tried to take my time a little bit with her stepping up in trip but it didn't work.”

Oisin Murphy, rider of Running Lion (withdrawn at start)

“She just kicked the back gates open.”

The post Frankie Dettori ‘Stuck For Words’ After Final Epsom Oaks Triumph Aboard Soul Sister appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Lael Stables' talented Grade 1-winner Chez Pierre is on schedule for a start in the Grade 3, $200,000 Poker, a one-mile Widener turf test for older horses, on Belmont Stakes Day June 10 as part of the three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival.

Trained by Arnaud Delacour, Chez Pierre was last seen scoring a dominant victory in the Grade 1 Maker's Mark Mile on April 14 at Keeneland by 3 1/2 lengths over multiple Group/Grade 1-winner Modern Games.

The son of Mehmas pounced from two lengths off the pace under Flavien Prat and took charge at the stretch call, widening his margin down the lane to complete the course in a final time of 1:33.46. The effort was awarded a career-best 106 Beyer Speed Figure. Modern Games exited that race to win the Group 1 Al Shaqab Lockinge at Newbury while third-place finisher Up to the Mark won the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic at Churchill Downs in his next outing.

Chez Pierre has worked four times since the Maker's Mark Mile, most recently covering five furlongs in a bullet 1:00.60 on Saturday over the Fair Hill all-weather surface. Delacour said the 5-year-old gelding will have one more work tomorrow at the Elkton, Maryland training center.

“He'll breeze tomorrow probably a half-mile for maintenance. It was a good work last time and I'm happy with him,” Delacour said. “He's always a pretty good breeze horse, it's just a matter of how much we want to do. We wanted that kind of move, and he did it and came back in great shape.”

Chez Pierre boasts a 6-for-7 lifetime record after beginning his career in France with conditioner Francis-Henri Graffard. He won his first three outings there before moving stateside in the summer of his 3-year-old season.

Delacour said he selected Chez Pierre from the 2020 Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale where he was purchased for $114,164 by Roy and Gretchen Jackson, the owners of Lael Stables.

“Roy and Gretchen Jackson were nice enough to let me spot him at the sale in France,” said Delacour. “A friend of mine bought him on their behalf and we started him in France with Francis-Henri Graffard. He did very well there and he won three races with him. Then, he had a little setback and we found that was the right time to send him to America.”

Chez Pierre won his first American outing by a neck in an optional claimer last March at Tampa Bay Downs before posting a 5 1/2-length victory in the one-mile Henry S. Clark six weeks later at Laurel Park. His lone loss came in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 3 Tampa Bay when racing off a 10-month layoff this February.

Out of the Italian-bred Orpen mare Hortensia, Chez Pierre is a half-brother to the listed stakes-winner Zelda. Hortensia is a half-sister to the graded stakes-winning mare Uraib, as well as Red Vale, the dam of 2009 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Vale of York.

The post Maker’s Mark Mile Winner Chez Pierre ‘In Great Shape’ For Poker appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

A close third in the Santa Anita Derby, C R K Stable's Skinner, who was considered a major contender in the Kentucky Derby until a spike in temperature necessitated a scratch one day prior to the Run for the Roses, heads a field of six sophomores going a mile and one sixteenth in Sunday's $100,000 Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita. Although trainer John Shirreffs named Juan Hernandez to ride Skinner in Kentucky, Mike Smith will ride for the first time on Sunday.

A long fused colt by Curlin, Skinner was gaining inches late in the mile and one eighth Santa Anita Derby on April 8 in a performance that suggested he was on the improve and that a mile and a quarter would be right in his wheelhouse. A one mile maiden winner here three starts back, it appeared Skinner was making the winning move in the Grade 2 San Felipe on March 4, but he ended up an even third, beaten 3 ¾ lengths by Practical Move, who would go on to take the Santa Anita Derby.

With a half mile and two five furlong works to his credit since returning from Churchill Downs, Skinner has not missed any training for Shirreffs and appears poised for a big effort following his career-top 99 Beyer Speed Figure earned in his third-place finish on April 8.

Out of the Malibu Moon mare Winding Way, Skinner has a win and three third place finishes from six starts, good for earnings of $216,300.

Richard Mandella's Geaux Rocket Ride, a dazzling 5 ¾ length first-out maiden winner going six furlongs on Jan. 29, was subsequently the 5-2 favorite in the March 4 San Felipe, a race in which he pressed the pace while second throughout and held Skinner safe by 1 ¼ lengths for the place in a huge effort.

Idle since the San Felipe, Geaux Rocket Ride, who was ridden by Flavien Prat in his first two outings, will get Ramon Vazquez for the first time on Sunday. By Candy Ride out of the Uncle Mo mare Beyond Grace, Geaux Rocket Ride is owned by Pin Oak Stud, LLC.

A gritty one mile maiden winner going one mile in his third start on Jan. 2, Mr Fisk was then transferred to trainer Tim Yakteen from Bob Baffert in order to earn Kentucky Derby qualifying points in the San Felipe. Off at 22-1 with Frankie Dettori, Mr Fisk was never a factor, finishing sixth, beaten 10 ¾ lengths.

Back with Baffert and reunited on Sunday with Juan Hernandez who was up for the maiden win, Mr Fisk, a Sunny Brook Stables homebred by Arrogate out of the Manduro mare Plein Air, has eight works on his tab dating back to April 3, his most recent a five furlong move in 1:00.20 here on May 27—third best of 27 at the distance.

THE $100,000 AFFIRMED WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 9 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

1. Ze'bul—Abel Cedillo—120
2. Skinner—Mike Smith—120
3. Del Mar Jerry—Kent Desormeaux—120
4. Mr Fisk—Juan Hernandez—120
5. Hard to Figure—Tiago Pereira—120
6. Geaux Rocket Ride—Ramon Vazquez—120

First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m. with admission gates opening at 11 a.m.

The post Scratched From Kentucky Derby With Fever, Skinner Returns In Sunday’s Affirmed Stakes At Santa Anita appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post