Tag: Racing

R. A. Hill Stable, Black Type Thoroughbreds, Rock Ridge Racing, BlackRidge Stables and James F. Brown's Pass the Champagne provided her connections with a gratifying victory in Saturday's Ruffian (G2), a one-turn mile for older fillies and mares, at Belmont Park.

Pass the Champagne was an emphatic 5 1/2-length winner after tracking the pace set by Gerrymander and pouncing to the lead at the stretch call. She drew away strongly down the lane under Feargal Lynch to complete the course in 1:36.13.

“She looks real good and we're just delighted with her,” said trainer George Weaver. “She's a filly in the mornings that has said to us that she's a really good racemare, and it's been a long road for her.”

Weaver was rewarded for his patience with the 5-year-old daughter of Flatter, who has had two lengthy layoffs since making her first start in January 2021 at Gulfstream Park with trainer Rusty Arnold. She won at second asking that February in her first start for Weaver before running a close second to subsequent two-time champion Malathaat in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland and finishing off-the-board in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. She did not return until last February at Gulfstream when she won an optional claiming event, and was on the bench again for almost a year before finishing second in the Wayward Lass this January at Tampa Bay Downs.

“She ran a great second in the Ashland and then nothing went right in the Oaks where she got squeezed at the start and pinched back,” said Weaver. “She came up with an issue that needed time off. We got her back and she won early in her 4-year-old year and we had to stop on her again. It's been a long road for her and as often is the case in this game, you just have to be patient. She always told us she was worth waiting on. We could have retired her, but we felt like she had some unfinished business on the racetrack.”

Pass the Champagne entered the Ruffian off a game second-place finish in the Heavenly Cause at Laurel Park. She has banked $315,070 in total earnings from a consistent record of 9-3-4-0. Weaver said he is proud to see the mare add a graded win to her resume.

“It's real gratifying seeing her put in that kind of performance (Saturday),” said Weaver. “She deserves it and she's that good of a filly. Heck, I'm a little ashamed I haven't been able to show that until now, but better late than never.”

Weaver said it is likely Pass the Champagne will now target a return to top-level competition in the Grade 1, $500,000 Ogden Phipps going 1 1/16 miles over Big Sandy on June 10. The Ogden Phipps is a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff in November at Santa Anita Park.

“We'll definitely nominate there and I do think – and always did think – that she's a filly that appreciates the big, wide turns at Belmont,” said Weaver. “She ran big yesterday in her only start at Belmont, and I don't think we have a choice but to give her a chance to be a Grade 1 winner.”

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Klaravich Stables' Marketsegmentation made the grade for four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown in Sunday's $175,000 Beaugay (G3), a 1 1/16-mile Widener turf test for older fillies and mares, at Belmont Park.

Brown, who also saddled runner-up Consumer Spending and fourth-place Veronica Greene, earned his sixth Beaugay triumph after Marketsegmentation stalked close to the pace set by Evvie Jets and pounced to the lead at the stretch call, driving home strongly under Irad Ortiz Jr. to land the 2 1/2-length victory.

“I'm really proud of this filly,” said Brown of the 4-year-old American Pharoah filly. “She's really come around and I wasn't sure exactly what way she was going in the winter. She just continued to get better and my team deserves a lot of credit. They've been working with this horse and it has been a little bit of a challenge to get there and keep her healthy and mentally put together. They deserve all the credit here. They have her in great form right now. As she's raced more, she's put herself in better position in her races.”

Away cleanly from post 3, Marketsegmentation was coaxed by Ortiz to stay close to pacesetter Evvie Jets, who broke sharply from the inside post and was sent to the front of the seven-horse field to mark an opening quarter-mile in :24.06 over the firm footing. Ortiz remained patient aboard Marketsegmentation after a half-mile in :48.43 before giving his cue approaching the turn and overtaking the lead from a tiring Evvie Jets after three-quarters elapsed in 1:11.99.

Marketsegmentation gained a three-length advantage at the stretch call and powered home under urging from Ortiz while her Manny Franco-piloted stablemate Consumer Spending gave a late run down the lane after stalking in fourth. Marketsegmentation arrived at the wire first in a final time of 1:41.25 with Consumer Spending holding onto place honors by a neck over fellow closer Surprisingly.

The Brown-trained Veronica Greene rounded out the superfecta with Contemporary Art, Evvie Jets, and Finest Work completing the order of finish. Kalifornia Queen was scratched.

Brown praised the ride by Ortiz, who brought the filly up closer to the pace than in her last effort when she closed from seventh-of-9 to win Gulfstream Park's Sand Springs on April 1.

“I thought Irad used good judgement to get some good forward position in a race that might have lacked some pace,” said Brown.

Ortiz, who has ridden Marketsegmentation in 5-of-6 lifetime starts, said a good break was key to his mount finding graded success.

“Last time, she missed the break and she was uncomfortable the whole way in-between horses and checking back and forth, but she still got the job done,” said Ortiz. “So, I just wanted to make her life a little easier today. I didn't want to give her too much to do. I helped her at the break and she gave me the first jump, so I go for it and I sat second in stalking position, biding my time and waiting for the time to go. She was there for me.”

Brown spoke highly of the seasonal debut from graded stakes-winner Consumer Spending, who had not raced since a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Lake Placid in August at Saratoga Race Course.

“It was a great first run back and I liked the trip she got quite a bit – saving all the ground and finishing off really good,” said Brown. “She was able to hold on for second over a really nice filly. I think she'll move forward off this race and I feel like she needed this race fitness wise.”

Jockey Manny Franco, who returned to Belmont Park Sunday after finishing a well-executed fifth in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby aboard Hit Show Saturday, said Consumer Spending will benefit from more seasoning.

“She ran very well,” said Franco. “The other one had been running at Gulfstream and my filly had been out for a little bit, so I think my filly will step up for the next one.”

Marketsegmentation, bred in Kentucky by Marcus Stables from the Medaglia d'Oro mare Lonelily, finished a close third in the Grade 3 Endeavor in February at Tampa Bay Downs in her graded debut. She improved her lifetime record to 6-4-1-1 with her Beaugay win and banked $96,250 in victory, boosting her total career earnings to $308,730 and returning $5 for a $2 win ticket.

Brown said it will be a big decision to choose between the one-mile Grade 1 Just a Game on June 10 or the 1 1/4-mile Grade 1 New York on June 9 as a potential next target for any of his Beaugay finishers.

“I'm not really sure as far as the New York goes,” said Brown. “It seems like the Grand Canyon between distances between the Just a Game and the New York, and you don't want to pick wrong. I'm going to think about it and see how they come out of their races. It's a nice dilemma to have.”

Brown added that Marketsegmentation's Beaugay performance shows she may handle added ground.

“She might stretch out; she was sharp enough to be prominent, but also she's a big, powerful horse that seems to motor through the wire in her works and her races right on out. It wouldn't surprise me if she could get a mile and a quarter,” said Brown. “We'll just have to think about it.”

The post Marketsegmentation Cruises Clear For Beaugay Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Godolphin homebred Mawj, a half sister to reigning U.S. champion turf male Modern Games, elevated her career to the next level by winning the Qipco 1000 Guineas (G1) Sunday at Newmarket after winning two races from as many starts in Dubai earlier this year.

Ridden by Oisin Murphy, Mawj faced a tough field in the one-mile classic race for 3-year-old fillies, with Group 1 winners Tahiyra and Meditate in opposition, as well as Fairy Cross and Dream Of Love, both beaten by Mawj at Meydan.

It was Tahiyra who laid down the toughest challenge, battling with Mawj through the final furlong. Tahiyra momentarily appeared to have the measure of Mawj, who willingly dug down in the closing strides and scored by a half length. She finished the trip in 1:37.92 on soft turf.

“There is nothing better; to win it is unbelievable,” said Murphy. “Thank you to the trainer and his staff, they did all the hard work.”

Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Mawj enjoyed a profitable winter in Dubai, landing the Jumeirah Fillies' Classic in January, followed by the Jumeirah Fillies' Guineas at a mile in February. The daughter of Exceed And Excel returned to Newmarket from the United Arab Emirates just two weeks before the Guineas.

Bin Suroor, winning his 13th British classic and 195th global Group or Grade 1, added: “It's great to come and win the Guineas, it's a good result for us.

“She's a tough filly and she's a nice filly over this trip, although if you look at her size and her pedigree it's all speed. She's a Group 2 winner (Duchess of Cambridge last July at Newmarket on debut ) and she's unbeaten in Dubai. I spoke to Sheikh Mohammed [Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai] before we ran her a mile in Dubai and she won it well. The Irish 1,000 Guineas (G1) could be an option, but we will talk to Sheikh Mohammed and make a decision after a week.”

Bred in Ireland, Mawj was produced by the New Approach mare Modern Ideals. She is a half sister to Godophin's' 2022 Poule d'Essai des Poulains (G1) (French 2000 Guineas) victor, Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) winner, and U.S. champion Modern Games (by Dubawi) and is Godolphin's fourth winner of the 1,000 Guineas following Cape Verdi (1998), Kazzia (2002), and Blue Bunting (2011).

The post Mawj, Half Sister To U.S. Champion Modern Games, Denies Tahiyra In Epic Battle For 1000 Guineas appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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