Tag: Racing

Second favorite Sol Oriens claimed this year's first leg of the Japan's Triple Crown, the $3,298,000 Satsuki Sho (G1) (Japanese 2000 Guineas), Saturday at Nakayama Racecourse.

Entering undefeated in just two career starts since his November debut as a 2-year-old and coming off his latest victory in the Keisei Hai (G3)  run over the Guineas 2,000-meter (about 1 1/4-mile) distance at Nakayama, the son of Kitasan Black became the first colt to land the Satsuki Sho in just his third career start, the shortest in Japan Racing Association history.

Sol Oriens was a fraction slow out of the gate under Takeshi Yokoyama, who thereafter guided further off the rails as the track on the inside was considerably roughed up from the heavy rain on Saturday.

Traveling near the rear and well off the brisk pace set by Granite, who covered the first 1,000 meters (about five furlongs) in :58.5 on the ground rated as yielding, Sol Oriens circled the whole field that had already spread wide turning for home then unleashed a terrific late charge that carried him instantly from second last to the lead soon after the 100-meter marker.

Sol Oriens, who won by 1 1/4 lenghts, completed the trip in 2:00.6.

“I'm thrilled to have been able to show the colt's strength and win this Group 1 title,” Yokoyama said. “He's still very green, especially at the turns, with only a short career coming into this race, but as he's already shown in his previous start, I know firsthand the power and speed which this colt possesses and so, while we had a lot of ground to cover from way behind, I knew that if I could keep him in good rhythm up to the straight, he would be able to show his full potential to win this race.”

Fifth pick Tastiera broke smoothly and was rated outside a rival in mid-division, switched a little further out into the stretch, unleashed a swift rally to assume command at the furlong pole and continued on willingly, holding off all but the winner to finish second.

Race favorite Phantom Thief was rated in midpack, further behind than expected, after the break as horses rushed to take a good position from both sides and traveled at a rapid pace. The Harbinger colt lost a shoe somewhere along the backstretch, lugged in after entering the stretch, and while showing effort thereafter, was unable to match the strides of the top two finishers, finishingthird, three lengths behind the winner.

Sol Oriens is trained by Takahisa Tezuka for owner Shadai Race Horse Co. Ltd. He was bred in Japan by Teruya Yoshida's Shadai Farm from the Motivator mare Skia, a Group 3 winner in France. He is from the second crop of Shadai resident sire Kitasan Black.

The post Sol Oriens Storms From Far Back To Land Japanese 2000 Guineas, Stay Unbeaten appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Stonestreet Stables' Twilight Gleaming cruised past Miner's Queen approaching the eighth pole and coasted to a 1½-length victory over Querobin Dourada in the $250,000 Giant's Causeway on Saturday at Keeneland.

Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., Twilight Gleaming covered the 5½ furlongs on a firm turf course in a stakes record 1:01.74. The previous standard was set last year of 1:01.98 by Campanelle, who also was owned by Stonestreet and trained by Ward.

The victory is the fourth in the race for Ward, who also won with Lady Aurelia in 2017 and Holiday for Kitten in 2011, and the third for Ortiz, who rode Campanelle last year and Morticia in 2019.

Miner's Queen led the field of 12 through fractions of :21.68 and :44.39 with Twilight Gleaming tracking to her outside. In the stretch, Ortiz sent Twilight Gleaming after the leader, quickly took command and was not threatened in the run to the wire.

The winner of the 2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) at Del Mar, Twilight Gleaming is a 4-year-old daughter of National Defense out of the Dansili mare Thames Pageant. She was bred in Great Britain by Pier House Stud.

The victory was worth $113,150 and increased Twilight Gleaming's earnings to $906,580. Her career line improved to 6-3-0 from 10 starts.

As the favorite, Twilight Gleaming returned $7.54 for the victory. Querobin Dourada, ridden by Joe Talamo, finished a head in front of third-place finisher Star Devine under Jose Ortiz.

The post Twilight Gleaming Sprints To Giant’s Causeway Win In Stakes Record Time appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Stonestreet Stables' Clairiere, well back in third in the early running, unleashed a powerful stretch drive and reeled in front-running favorite Secret Oath to prevail in a close finish in the $1-million Apple Blossom (G1) Saturday at Oaklawn.

A 5-year-old daughter of Curlin, Clairiere waited until the final moments to pounce on the favorite and 2022 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner to get her third career Grade 1 victory under jockey Joel Rosario and gave Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen his fourth win and second stakes victory on the day. It was also his third Apple Blossom victory following champions Midnight Bisou and Untapable.

“(Tactically) it played out like everybody thought it would,” Asmussen said. “I think Joel (Rosario) is fabulous about the theory that I have – races are from point A to point B. If you go from point A to point B as good as you can, you get the best outcome you can, whether it's favorable or not. She's a tremendous mare. She's really good.”

Strategy proved to be key in the four-horse field, with Rosario taking a risk that front-runner Hot and Sultry could sneak away and Secret Oath could get a perfect trip. However, Clairiere's closing kick arrived just in time to get the win by a neck as the 3-to-2 second choice. Secret Oath and jockey Tyler Gaffalione settled for second a neck behind with Hot and Sultry fading to third in a race without show wagering. The winning time was 1:43.36 for 1 1/16 miles over a fast track.

“She responded really well today,” Rosario said. “I was watching the (number) one horse in front of me (Secret Oath). She did really great. She really dug in there. I was able to get there in time. She always tries really hard.”

Clairiere improved her record to 7-5-3 in 18 starts and has now earned $2,831,392. She returned $5 for the victory.

Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Clairiere is a 5-year-old Curlin mare from the Bernardini mare Cavorting.

With a win with Skelly in the Count Fleet Sprint Handicap (G3) earlier on the card, Asmussen won his 100th and 101st stakes races at Oaklawn in his illustrious career.

Apple Blossom Quotes:

Winning jockey Joel Rosario, Clairiere: “She responded really well today. I was watching the #1 horse in front of me (Secret Oath). She did really great. She really dug in there. I was able to get there in time. She always tries really hard.”

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione, second on Secret Oath: “I thought I had them. The filly ran all the way to the wire. She got run down. She (Clairiere) was better today. The filly pulled up good, came back happy, so, we'll live to fight another day. (Hot and Sultry) was the lone speed. We let her get out in front and little by little cut into it. She kicked for me. She just got beat.”

Jockey David Cabrera, third on Hot and Sultry: “The race played out like we planned it. This is a filly that's a little aggressive and today she actually relaxed really, really good. The wind picked up really hard on the backside and she hit my silks and kind of jumped on the bit a little bit. We got outrun, but we got outrun by the best.”

Jockey Chel-c Bailey, fourth on I Feel The Need: “I wasn't expecting her to break out that fast and kind of keep up with them. The 4 (Clairiere) kind of bumped me a little bit going into the first turn. Going down the backside, those were a whole different caliber of horses. How much does (D. Wayne) Lukas want for his filly? How much does (Steve) Asmussen want for his? I Feel the Need has been competing, obviously, at a lower level. But, hey, you don't know until you try.”

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Red Lane Thoroughbred LLC's Skelly led gate to wire to give Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen his 100th stakes win at Oaklawn as well has his fifth victory in Saturday's $500,000 Count Fleet Sprint (G3). The win was also Asmussen's third win of the day and moved him within five wins of becoming Oaklawn's all-time leading trainer.

Ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., Skelly broke the sharpest in the field of 10 from post position two and quickly assumed the lead through early fractions of :21.44 and :44.46for the first half mile. He entered the stretch with a four-length lead and was able to cruise home to a 2 ¼ length victory over the fast closing Strobe, the 5-2 second choice, who had a wide trip. Whitmore Stakes (G3) winner Tejano Twist, the 9-5 favorite, rallied from eighth over the speed favoring track to get third. The final time was 1:09.20 over a fast track.

Skelly, a 4-year-old gelding by Practical Joke out of Adande, by Bwana Charlie, and bred in Kentucky by H. Allen Poindexter, was winning for third straight time and fourth time overall in eight career starts. He a lifetime bankroll of $549,400. He returned $14 for the victory.

Count Fleet Quotes:

Winning trainer Steve Asmussen, Skelly: “That is exactly what happened (taking advantage of speed-favoring track). The elation of that goes to the concern of Clairiere (in the upcoming Apple Blossom) and her lack of pace. He's definitely the quickest half-mile of the group (Asmussen had three Count Fleet entrants) and showed it today. The racetrack's playing for that to be effective.”

Winning jockey Ricardo Santana Jr., Skelly: 'Today, he was much the best. He's fast enough. I don't think it was a good idea to take him back. He's a fast horse. So, I had a good break and he put him in a good spot. We slowed it down a little bit. He was much the best.'

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