Tag: Racing

A close third as the favorite in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap March 4 and second in the G1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 28, Bob Baffert's Defunded heads a field of six older horses going a mile and one eighth in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Californian Stakes at Santa Anita. An iconic prep to the G1 Hollywood Gold Cup here on Memorial Day, May 29, the Californian, first won in 1954 by Imbros, who became the sire of the legendary Hall of Fame gelding Native Diver, will be contested for the 70th time on Saturday.

A 5-year-old gelding by Dialed In, Defunded, who showed the way to deep stretch when ridden by Juan Hernandez in the Big 'Cap, was beaten three quarters of a length. With Hernandez back aboard on Saturday, Defunded will be seeking his third graded stakes victory in what will be his 16th career start.

Owned by Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Defunded, who was second in last year's Hollywood Gold Cup, won the G1 Awesome Again going a mile and one eighth four starts back here on Oct. 1, which he followed with a rousing four-length score at the same distance in the G3 Native Diver at Del Mar Nov. 27.

With a 7-3-2-1 line score at Santa Anita, Defunded, easily the leading money earner in the field with $1,228,100, is 15-5-4-2 overall.

Trainer Craig Dollase's Midnight Mammoth, a freakish gate to wire winner of a second condition allowance going a mile and one sixteenth here on March 19, could duke it out early on the lead with the top choice if jockey Kyle Frey seeks to once again employ front-running tactics.

A 5 ¼ length winner at 11-1, Midnight Mammoth, who was claimed for $50,000 by owner Jeffrey Sengara on March 3, earned a career-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure first off the claim and will hope to improve upon that in the Californian.

A 4-year-old ridgling by Midnight Lute out of the Vindication mare Taker Home, Midnight Mammoth, who is 17-4-4-4 overall, will be making his first graded stakes start.

Most recently well beaten on turf in the Grade I Frank E. Kilroe Mile March 4, Brazilian-bred Royal Ship will be making his second start off a layoff as he tries to reverse a skein of three double digit defeats—in the Kilroe, the Grade I Awesome Again and three starts back, in the Grade I Pacific Classic Sept. 3 at Del Mar.

Third in last year's Hollywood Gold Cup five starts back, Royal Ship was a close second in the 2021 Gold Cup, which followed a neck victory in the Californian on April 17, 2021.

Trained by Richard Mandella and owned by Fox Hollow Racing, LLC and Sienna Farm, LLC, 7-year-old gelding Royal Ship, a Group 1 and Group 3 winner in Brazil, has two graded stakes wins with Mandella and is 2-1-1 from five starts at Santa Anita.

With his most recent win coming four starts back in the G2 San Diego Handicap July 30, Royal Ship will be making his 15th stateside start—all in combination with Mike Smith. With career earnings of $691,405 from an overall mark of 21-8-2-5, Royal Ship, who won the 2021 Californian pressing the pace, will likely be in close attendance on Saturday.

THE GRADE 2 CALIFORNIAN WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 9 of 10 Approximate post time 5 p.m. PT

1. Defunded—Juan Hernandez—122
2. Kiss Today Goodbye—Hector Berrios–120
3. Mr. Impossible—Ramon Vazquez—120
4. Midnight Mammoth—Kyle Frey—120
5. Parnelli—Victor Espinoza–120
6. Royal Ship—Mike Smith—122

First post time for a 10-race card on Saturday is at 1 p.m. with admission gates opening at 11 a.m.

The post Defunded Using Saturday’s Californian As Prep For Hollywood Gold Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Lightning quick and with a recent race to his credit, California-bred Brickyard Ride would appear to tower over five rival older horses as he defends his title in Santa Anita's Grade 3, $100,000 Kona Gold Stakes at 6 ½ furlongs on Saturday.

Owned and bred by Alfred Pais and trained by Craig Lewis, Brickyard Ride, with two graded stakes wins to his credit, will be in search of his eighth overall stakes victory in what will be his 25th start. A 6-year-old full horse by top California-based stallion Clubhouse Ride out of the Southern Image mare Brickyard Helen, Brickyard Ride unfurled early splits of 21.40 and 43 flat prior to checking third, beaten 2 ¾ lengths going about 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita's hillside turf course in the Grade 3 San Simeon Stakes on March 5—his first start since well beaten in the G2 Triple Bend Stakes at seven furlongs here on May 29 of last year.

A winner on both turf and dirt in all four of his previous racing seasons, Brickyard Ride has been “nails” on the Santa Anita main track, winning nine out of his 13 starts, while finishing second and third once each.

A gate to wire winner of last year's Kona Gold three starts back on April 30, Brickyard Ride appeared effortless in carving out splits of 21.80, 44 flat and 1:08.40, prior to finishing up 6 ½ furlongs in a sizzling 1:15 flat.

With Juan Hernandez back aboard for the 10th consecutive time, Brickyard Ride approaches the Kona Gold with an overall mark of 24-12-1-3 and earnings of $756,977.

Second, beaten 2 ¼ lengths while finishing a half length better than Brickyard Ride in the San Simeon, Doug O'Neill's Anarchist, who earned a career best 97 Beyer Speed Figure, will also be transitioning back to dirt as he'll hope to tag the top selection late with Ramon Vazquez up.

Ridden by Frankie Dettori in his last two starts, that include a second place finish going in a six furlong dirt allowance Feb. 11, Anarchist was ridden to a second place finish three starts back by Vazquez at 6 ½ furlongs on Jan. 15, which was his first start with O'Neill.

A maiden six furlong winner going six furlongs four starts back at Ellis Park, Anarchist certainly appears ready for stakes competition in what will be his eighth career start. Owned by Ilium Stables, LLC, Anarchist is a 4-year-old colt by Distorted Humor out of the Elusive Quality mare Vicarious Won.

Off the board in five previous stakes attempts, including the G1 Preakness Stakes four starts back on May 21, 2021, Bob Baffert's Armagnac will be making his second start off a considerable layoff and should improve with the recent race to his credit. Owned by SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC, et al, Armagnac pressed the pace en route to finishing fourth, beaten 6 ¾ lengths as the 6-5 favorite in a mile and one sixteenth allowance March 19—his first start since well beaten going one mile in the ungraded Shared Belief Stakes Sept. 3 at Del Mar.

Third, beaten seven lengths in his only other sprint try, a first-out maiden 6 ½ furlong race on Dec. 31, 2021, Armagnac, a 4-year-old colt by Quality Road out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Kitty Wine, has two wins from nine starts and will be ridden for the first time by Abel Cedillo.

THE GRADE 3 KONA GOLD WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 5 of 10 Approximate post time 3 p.m. PT

1. Anarchist—Ramon Vazquez—120
2. Sunrise Journey—Edwin Maldonado—122
3. Armagnac—Abel Cedillo—120
4. Brickyard Ride—Juan Hernandez—124
5. Positivity—Tiago Pereira—122
6. Trumped—Victor Espinoza—120

First post time for a 10-race card on Saturday is at 1 p.m. with admission gates opening at 11 a.m.

The post Ultra-Consistent Brickyard Ride Looms Large In Kona Gold appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Mimi Kakushi aims to break new ground on the first weekend of May when she carries the hopes of Dubai in the G1 Kentucky Oaks.

Trained in Dubai by Salem Bin Ghadayer, the daughter of City Of Light bids to follow up her G3 UAE Oaks win at Meydan Racecourse with success in the Run For The Lilies on May 5 at Churchill Downs. Shahama, winner of the same UAE Classic in 2022, went on to run sixth at Churchill Downs after transferring to the Todd Pletcher barn.

There's no connection switch for Mimi Kakushi, who is owned by Dubai's Crown Prince, HH Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, son of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

“Mimi Kakushi left Dubai on Wednesday morning [April 19] and flies to Chicago,” said Bin Ghadayer, for whom this is a first runner outside of the Middle East. “She spends 48 hours in quarantine there and then vans to Churchill Downs where she'll just walk for the first day. She won't be on the track before Monday [April 24].”

Bin Ghadayer, who flies to the States on Saturday, is keeping the team around his star filly the same as she is used to at home. Dubai World Cup-winning rider Mickael Barzalona keeps the ride and Xavier Ziani, a French jockey based in Dubai who was onboard the filly for her debut, partners her in the mornings.

“She did her last gallop yesterday and I'm so happy about her work; we couldn't be any happier,” added the trainer. “She's fit, she has the ability and the class. She had a two week break after the Oaks [Feb. 17] and then went back to normal training. We are keeping everything as normal as possible for her, and Xavier rides her every day at home.”

“I always ask Sheikh Hamdan everything to do with his horses. We wanted to choose between this race and the UAE Derby and he was very happy to go for this race.”

The seven-length UAE Oaks win, in which she beat the Doug O'Neill-trained Ami Please, was Mimi Kakushi's third win in a row. A $250,000 purchase by Woodrow Call at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale in May 22, she was beaten in her first two starts at Meydan, before combining with Barzalona for a seven furlong maiden win followed by success the Listed UAE 1000 Guineas.

“Mickael knows her well, he's ridden her three times,” continued Bin Ghadayer. “If I didn't feel like she can run top three I wouldn't be going. We had the invitation two years ago with [UAE Derby runner-up] Panadol for the Kentucky Derby and we decided not to go.”

Mimi Kakushi, who is a named after a Japanese restaurant of the same name in Dubai, is yet to face a field greater than 11 in her five-race career. However, Bin Ghadayer doesn't see a potential wide draw as a problem.

“I don't mind drawing 18, 19 or 20 as she has no problem going behind in her races; she hasn't led for any of her wins,” he added. “I just fear a muddy track as it will be different to what she knows. I have a private track here in Dubai and we did put some extra water on it one day to try and get her used to it, although I wouldn't say it was muddy.”

An American win at the first attempt would be huge for Bin Ghadayer, who has Group 1 successes to his name courtesy of Hypothetical, Long River and Matterhorn, all of whom won G1 Maktoum Challenge Round 3 at Meydan.

“It's just nice for me and my team to have a runner in the premier American 3-year-old fillies' race,” continued the trainer, who also owns a string of horses in training in the UK. “I've studied all the field and I don't think there will be a hot favorite; it's open. But there are no guarantees in any race, not even a maiden.”

The post ‘She Can Run Top Three’: Mimi Kakushi Flies Flag For Dubai In Kentucky Oaks appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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