Tag: Racing

Runner-up to Sol Oriens in the Satsuki Sho (G1) (Japanese 2000 Guineas) last month, Carrot Farm Co. Ltd.'s Tastiera turned the tables on that rival Sunday when winning the $4,947,000 Tokyo Yushun (G1) (Japanese Derby), reaching the pinnacle of the nation's total of 7,708 3-year-olds, at Tokyo Racecourse.

After breaking from stall 12, Tastiera was positioned well in fifth and two-wide while Pax Ottomanica set a moderate pace and maintained a huge lead into the stretch. Hitting the straight in fourth under Damien Lane, Tastiera  responded well to steadily close in, inheriting the lead from the pacesetter 200 meters out while repelling a determined challenge from Bellagio Opera from an inner route. He  fiercely dueled Sol Oriens and Hearts Concerto on his outside to reach the wire a neck ahead of Sol Oriens.

‟It's a very special, great feeling especially for Hori Stables and Carrot Farm with whom I've had success with. It was definitely the position, and credit to the horse—he's so versatile, he could jump quick put himself in a good position and relax. It's just a great sense of achievement,” said Lane, who was riding for trainer Noriyuki Hori.

Heavy favorite Sol Oriens broke well and sat in sixth, just behind Tastiera, while Hearts Concerto, who was off slow and near the rear earlier, steadily made headway in the backstretch to catch up and enter the straight alongside Sol Oriens. Although unable to tag the winner, Sol Oriens held off Hearts Concerto by a nose for second place after a fierce battle to the line, while being denied the possibility of a Triple Crown triumph by the winner.

As a first-crop progeny by Shadai Stallion Station resident stallion Satono Crown, who was third in the 2015 Japanese Derby for Hori, Tastiera became the first Grade 1 winner for his sire. After breaking his maiden last November, Tastiera was fourth in the Kyodo News Hai (G3) and went on to land his first graded win in the Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen (G2) in March before finishing second,  1 1/4 lengths behind Sol Oriens in the Japanese 2000 Guineas in April. The bay colt would not be denied Sunday.

Sunday's win marks trainer Hori's second Japanese Derby title following Duramente's victory in 2015. Lane, who has ridden under a short-term license since April 15, became the first foreign-based jockey since Mirco Demuro (2003, Neo Universe) to win the Japanese Derby.

Tastiera was bred by Northern Farm. He is the first foal from the Manhattan Cafe mare Partitura.

The post Tastiera Denies Heavy Favorite Sol Oriens In Japanese Derby Thriller appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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In a performance that validated the betting, trainer George Papaprodromou's Spirit of Makena took charge turning for home and powered to an impressive 3¼-length win in Saturday's $200,000 Triple Bend Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita—his second stakes win in a row and third overall dating back to a six-furlong allowance score here on Feb. 11.

Ridden for the third time in a row by veteran Joe Bravo, the 5-year-old son of Ghostzapper got seven furlongs in 1:23.07.

As expected, Forbidden Kingdom, ridden by Juan Hernandez, went to the lead and Spirit of Makena was an attentive second up the backside. With Forbidden Kingdom in front by two lengths at the three-furlong pole, Spirit of Makena began to eat into that margin, got on terms a quarter mile out, and took command turning for home in a huge effort.

“He's a nice horse,” said Papaprodromou. “He won the last time doing the same thing… I'm grateful to train a horse like that; I would like to thank the owners for giving me (this) horse. We are looking forward to a nice future with him. Hopefully, the next stop will be the Bing Crosby (G1, six furlongs on July 29 at Del Mar) and, hopefully, the Breeders' Cup (Sprint [G1], Nov. 4 at Santa Anita).”

Owned and bred in Kentucky by Bruce Chandler, Spirit of Makena, a winner of the San Carlos Stakes (G3) going the same distance on March 11, was off as the 4-5 favorite in a field of seven older horses and paid $3.80, $2.60 and $2.20.

Out of the Gilded Time mare Win for M'lou, Spirit of Makena is now a two-time graded stakes winner and is 4-1-0 from five career starts. With the winner's share of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $347,600.

Peter Miller's venerable 9-year-old gelding C Z Rocket was just up for second by a nose over Desmond Doss and paid $4.00 and $3.20 while off at 5-1 with Ramon Vazquez.

Desmond Doss, one of two Cal-breds in the field, was the longest shot in the field at 27-1 with Umberto Rispoli and paid $5.80 to show while finishing 1 ¼ lengths in front of Forbidden Kingdom who came up empty through the drive.

Fractions on the race were 22.86, 45.22 and 1:09.92.

Although he didn't post a win in either the Daytona (G3) or the Triple Bend, Tiago Pereira was Saturday's riding star, as he bagged four winners, giving him 13 overall at the current Hollywood Meet and putting him in a three-way tie for second, seven wins behind Juan Hernandez.

The post Spirit Of Makena Kicks Clear For Triple Bend Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Ridden for the first time by Hector Berrios, Fast Buck broke like a shot and was never headed in taking Saturday's $100,000 Daytona Stakes (G3) by a neck at Santa Anita.

Trained and co-owned by Cesar DeAlba, who tallied his first graded win, Fast Buck got about 6½ furlongs down the hillside turf course in 1:11.68.

A gate-to-wire second condition allowance winner going six furlongs out of Santa Anita's turf chute, Fast Buck rocketed through an opening quarter mile in “21.05, and a half mile in :42.62 as held a six-length advantage at the quarter pole en route to an interior split going six furlongs in 1:05.58.

“The trainer told me to just keep moving him and not let him think,” said Berrios. “That's what I did, I took him to the lead and I kept him moving until the wire. I knew I was the winner, the last eighth, I came out a bit to let the other horse (Whatmakessammyrun) catch up a bit and my horse responded really well.”

Off the board in two prior hillside engagements, Fast Buck, a 5-year-old California-bred gelding by Gallant Son out of Zorra Roja, by Falstaff, was off at 2-1 in a field of seven older horses and paid $6.20 for the win.

“He made me nervous, he was going fast,” said DeAlba, who got his first-ever Santa Anita stakes win. “But that was the plan, to go to the lead and see if we can hang on. If you (watch) maybe the last sixteenth or the last eighth, Hector Berrios kind of moved him out to look for the other horse and he said once he saw (him), he dug back in. He is a good rider.”

DeAlba co-owns Fast Buck with by Zephyr Racing LLC and Peter Cruz. The dark bay runner, who is out of the Falstaff mare Zorra Roja, got his first stakes win and his fifth win from nine overall starts. With the winner's share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $275,474.

The favorite at 3-2 with Joe Bravo, Whatmakessammyrun couldn't get up in time and finished a head in front of Lovesick Blues.

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Lovesick Blues was up for third money by one length over Burnin Turf.

Fast Buck was bred by Daehling Ranch LLC.

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