Tag: Racing

In search of his third consecutive graded stakes win, trainer Michael McCarthy's Offlee Naughty heads Santa Anita's traditional closing day feature on Sunday, the Grade 3, $100,000 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at about a mile and three quarters over the Camino Real  Turf Course.  With its traditional hillside start, a field of six three year olds and up will compete in the 84^th renewal of the San Juan, a race best remembered  for its 1966 running when  legendary Hall of Fame jockey John Longden went out a winner at age 59 aboard Canadian-bred George Royal, who prevailed by a nose over Plaque, who was ridden by Hall of Famer Bobby Ussery.

A one-length winner when ridden by John Velazquez of the Grade 2 Charles Whittingham Stakes at a mile and a quarter on turf two starts back on April 8, Offlee Naughty rallied from far back under Umberto Rispoli to take the mile and one half turf Grade 3 San Luis Rey Stakes by a 1 ¼ lengths May 13, earning the same 97 Beyer Speed Figure that he did in the Whittingham.

Although a lack of pace could be a concern, Offlee Naughty, a 5-year-old full horse by Flashback, out of the Offlee Wild mare Acting Naughty, is nonetheless at the top of his game and should be tough to beat.

Owned by James and Donna Daniell, Offlee Naughty is three for six over the Santa Anita turf and he should relish the mile and three quarter distance.  With an overall mark of 17-5-1-1, he has earnings of $370,645.

Richard Mandella's Brazilian-bred Planetario, who rallied to be a solid second, beaten 1 ¼ lengths by Offlee Naughty in the San Luis Rey, is a horse on the improve who will be making his third North American start on Sunday.

A two-time Group 1 stakes winner in Brazil, Planetario, a 5-year-old full horse, is another that should relish the stretch out from a mile and one half to the mile and three quarters of the San Juan Capistrano.  An even fifth in his U.S. debut going a mile and one eighth on turf here on June 22 of last year, he earned an 87 Beyer and got a 95 Beyer off the bench in his second place finish in the San Luis Rey.

Owned by his breeder, Red Rafa Stud, Inc., Planetario, who will be ridden back by Hector Berrios, has five wins from 10 overall starts as he seeks his first North American stakes victory.

McCarthy will also saddle the 4-year-old Irish-bred filly Duvet Day, who faces males for the first time since running a close second going six furlongs on turf in her Irish debut 15 races ago on June 18, 2021.

Most recently second, beaten a neck as the 6-5 favorite in the mile and one half turf Santa Barbara on April 30, Duvet Day will be ridden back by leading man Juan Hernandez.  A winner of the ungraded Astra Stakes at a mile and one half on turf three starts back on Jan. 21, Duvet Day is owned by Cedros, Jane Bacharach and Richard Schatz.  With an overall mark of 15-3-4-2, she has earnings of $210,313.

Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano with jockeys and weights in post position order

Race 5 of 12 Approximate post time 2 p.m. PT

1. Offlee Naughty—Umberto Rispoli—126
2. Duvet Day—Juan Hernandez—119
3. Birth of Cool – Joe Bravo – 122
4. Opry – Edwin Maldonado – 126
5. Planetario—Hector Berrios—126
6. Rimprotector – Kyle Frey – 122

First post time for a 12-race card on Sunday, which is also closing day of the Hollywood Meet at Santa Anita, is at 12 noon with admission gates opening at 10 a.m.

The post Santa Anita Brings Down Curtain On Hollywood Meet With 1 3/4-Mile San Juan Capistrano appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Fresh off victory at a mile and one half on turf, trainer Dan Blacker's Queen Ofthe Temple rates a big look as she cuts back to a mile and one quarter on grass in Sunday's $100,000 Possibly Perfect Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.  With a Father's Day early post time of 12 noon PT, the Possibly Perfect, which has attracted five fillies and mares three and up, is part of a 12-race closing day card and will serve as a supporting feature to Sunday's main event, the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes.

Ridden for the first time by Joe Bravo and off at 2-1, Queen Ofthe Temple was attentive to the pace in the mile and one half Santa Barbara Stakes on April 30 and was up to win in a three-horse photo.  With Bravo back aboard, the 5-year-old mare by Temple City, who is three-time graded stakes placed, seeks her first graded win in what will be her 14^th career start with Bravo back aboard.

Owned by Radley Equine, Inc., Roger Featherston, Rick Gold and Tony Maslowsky, Queen Ofthe Temple is out of the Read the Footnotes mare Queeenameina.  With two wins, four seconds and a third from nine tries over the Santa Anita lawn, she's 13-2-6-3 overall with earnings of $237,840.

A winner of last year's Possibly Perfect and idle since running seventh in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes here on Oct. 8, trainer Leonard Powell's French-bred Neige Blanche is the class of the field with earnings of $542,780.  With four wins and two thirds from 10 starts over the course, Neige Blanche has six stakes wins, four of them graded, from an overall mark of 21-9-0-4.

With regular rider Juan Hernandez committed to ride Phil D'Amato's Buzz of New York, Neige Blanche, who is owned by Madaket Stables, LLC, Laura DeSeroux, Marsha Naify and Mathilde Powell, won last year's Possibly Perfect in gate to wire fashion and will be ridden for the first time by Diego Herrera.

Most recently fourth, beaten just a head by second place finisher Queen Ofthe Temple in the Grade 3 Santa Ana Stakes at a mile and one quarter on turf March 12, Irish-bred Buzz of New York enters the Possibly Perfect fresh and will be reunited with Juan Hernandez, who last rode her to a one mile turf allowance win two starts back on March 5.

Although the Possibly Perfect will be just her second stateside stakes assignment, Buzz of New York has been very consistent for D'Amato, finishing in the money in 10 out of her 12 local starts—winning three of them.

A 5-year-old mare, Buzz of New York is owned by Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal.  With all three of her wins coming in combination with Hernandez, Buzz of New York rates a big chance with an overall mark of 18-3-5-3 and earnings of $228,677.

$100,000 Possibly Perfect with jockeys & weights in post position order

1. Zeyaraat – Geovanni Franco – 122
2. Queen Ofthe Temple- Joe Bravo —126
3. Buzz of New York—Juan Hernandez—124
4. Neige Blanche – Diego Herrera – 126
5. Australia Mia—Umberto Rispoli—126

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Louisiana Derby winner Kingsbarns and recent Long Branch Stakes winner Howgreatisnate head a field of eight 3-year-olds for Saturday's Pegasus Stakes at Monmouth Park – one of four stakes races on Haskell Preview Day.

The 14-race card features the Grade 3 Eatontown Stakes, the Grade 3 Salvator Mile and the Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes, with multiple Grade 1-winner Tribhuvan headlining that field.

The $150,000 Pegasus Stakes, at a mile and a sixteenth, serves as the local prep for the Grade 1, $1 million TVG.com Haskell Stakes on July 22.

The field from the rail out for the Pegasus Stakes (with trainer and jockey): Classic Catch (Todd Pletcher, Paco Lopez); Moreau (Andrew McKeever, Florent Geroux); No Confession (John McAllen, Pedro Cotto, Jr.); Salute the Stars (Brad Cox, Joel Rosario); Alternate Reality (Chris Englehart, Jacqueline Davis); Subrogate (Jorge Duarte, Jevian Toledo); Howgreatisnate (Elizabeth Dobles, Jairo Rendon) and Kingsbarns (Todd Pletcher, Luis Saez).

The 52nd running of the Eatontown Stakes, at a mile and a sixteenth on the turf for fillies and mares, 3 and up, drew a field of eight as well. The Eatontown Stakes, which carries a purse of $150,000, serves as the prep for the Grade 3, $300,000 WinStar Matchmaker Stakes on the Haskell undercard.

That Eatontown Stakes field from the rail out is as follows: Surprisingly (Shug McGaughey, Paco Lopez); Vergara (Graham Motion, Jorge Ruiz); Consumer Spending (Chad Brown, Samy Camacho); Scotish Star (Todd Pletcher, Luis Saez); Spirit and Glory (Robert Falcone, Jr., Nik Juarez); Malavath (Christophe Clement, Joel Rosario); Katies a Lady (Darien Rodriguez, Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.) and Gina Romantic (Chad Brown, Florent Geroux).

The 76th running of the Salvator Mile, with a purse of $150,000, attracted a field of 10. The Salvator Mile is the prep for the Grade 3 $400,000 Monmouth Cup on the Haskell day undercard.

The field for the Salvator Mile for 3 year olds and up from the rail out: Petulante (Victor Barboza, Jr., Luis Saez); Ridin With Biden (Butch Reid, Paco Lopez); Empty Tomb (Robert Falcone, Jr., Samy Camacho); Far Mo Power (Louis Linder, Dexter Haddock); Bourbon Calling (Antonio Arriaga, Jorge A. Vargas, Jr.); Octane (Carlos David, Jairo Rendon); Trademark (Vicki Oliver, Joel Rosario); Nimitz Class (Bruce Kravets, Jevian Toledo); Artorius (Chad Brown, Florent Geroux) and Bourbonic (Todd Pletcher, Jose Ferrer).

Tribhuvan, who won the Grade 1 United Nations at Monmouth Park in 2021, will likely try to repeat in that race as a 7-year-old, making his seasonal debut in the $150,000 Grade 3 Monmouth Stakes at a mile and an eighth on the turf. The Monmouth Stakes is the prep for the United Nations.

Tribhuvan, who also won the Grade 1 Manhattan Stakes at Belmont Park in 2022, has not raced since Aug. 27. He was fourth in the United Nations a year ago.

The six-horse field for the Monmouth Stakes from the rail out: Tribhuvan (Chad Brown, Florent Geroux); Never Explain (Shug McGaughey, Luis Saez); Speaking Scout (Graham Motion, Jorge Ruiz); Dynadrive (Thomas Morley, Nik Juarez); Commandeer (James Toner, Paco Lopez) and Catnip (Michael Stidham, Joel Rosario).

First race post time is 12:40 p.m. The four stakes races on the card will go as races 10 through 13, starting with the Pegasus Stakes.

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You talk about pressure. Santa Anita Track Announcer Frank Mirahmadi will be faced with plenty of it on Saturday as his namesake, a $1 million colt by Into Mischief will make his career debut in Saturday's $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Futurity at five furlongs. Out of the unraced Malibu Moon mare More Chocolate, Mirahmadi has trained forwardly at both Los Alamitos and Santa Anita and he heads a field of six in California's biggest race for juveniles thus far this year.

A $1,050,000 Keeneland September Yearling, Mirahmadi has a strong series of six local works to his credit, including a five furlong bullet from the gate in 58.80 here on June 5—best of 26 at the distance.

“I am very excited to call Mirahmadi on Saturday,” said the Voice of Santa Anita Park, Frank Mirahmadi, who will also taking the reins for the first time next month as full-time announcer at Saratoga Race Course. “His works have been exceptional and the fact he is debuting in a stakes race confirms what anyone who has watched XBTV knows—this colt can run!

“I am very thankful to Tom Ryan and the ownership group for naming such a nice colt after me. I take pride in being unbiased in my race calls, but on Saturday I hope Mirahmadi's white face is in front early and then he improves his position.”

Owned by SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC, et al, Mirahmadi gets the services of Santa Anita leading rider Juan Hernandez. Atop the Hollywood Meet standings at entry time with 35 wins, 13 better than runner-up Ramon Vazquez, Hernandez seeks his meet-leading 11th stakes victory, while Baffert looks for his fifth added money score, which would put him in a tie with Phil D'Amato for most trainer stakes wins.

Reddam Racing's homebred Refocus, who crushed fellow Cal-breds at first asking, rates second billing in Saturday's Fasig-Tipton Futurity. Off at 2-1 going 4 ½ furlongs on May 21, he dueled for the early lead, had race favorite Last Call London to his outside turning for home and drew clear in a most impressive performance, winning by 4 ½ lengths while earning a solid 69 Beyer Speed Figure.

A grey or roan colt by Pavel, Refocus is out of the Square Eddie mare Redo It and he'll be ridden back by Mario Gutierrez.

Trainer Steve Knapp's California-bred Going Mobile was also an impressive first-out maiden winner as he sped to a 4 ½ length win as the 6-5 favorite going 4 ½ furlongs April 30. Bred by Terry Lovingier and owned by Knapp, Lovingier and Thomas Halaz, Going Mobile is by Lovingier's red-hot stallion Stay Thirsty out of the War Front mare Mobilize.

Going Mobile, who earned a 61 Beyer on April 30, will be ridden back by Tiago Pereira.

Kentucky-bred Tranche, who has the advantage of having two races under his belt, was most recently third, beaten 9 ¾ lengths, in an ungraded stakes going five panels on May 4 at Churchill Downs. A $210,000 Keeneland September Yearling by Collected out of the Archarcharch mare Theory of Change, Tranche was a well beaten seventh after breaking a step slow in his 4 ½ furlong maiden debut April 7 at Keeneland and will thus be making his third start at as many different tracks on Saturday.

Trained by 2-year-old specialist Luis Mendez, Tranche is owned by William Peoples and will be ridden by Edwin Maldonado.

THE $100,000 FASIG-TIPTON FUTURITY WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 12 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

1. Harry Houdini—Joe Bravo—119
2. Refocus—Mario Gutierrez—123
3. Tranche—Edwin Maldonado—119
4. Going Mobile—Tiago Pereira—123
5. Next Level—Kent Desormeaux–119
6. Mirahmadi—Juan Hernandez—119

First post time for a 12-race card on Saturday, the penultimate racing day in Santa Anita's 28-day Hollywood Meet, is at 1 p.m. with admission gates opening at 11 a.m.

The post ‘This Colt Can Run’: Mirahmadi Excited To Call Namesake As Baffert Trainee Debuts In Fasig-Tipton Futurity appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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