Tag: Racing

Defending Champion Country Grammer and Equinox, 2022's highest rated three-year-old in the world, are the headline acts for the $30.5million Dubai World Cup card, likely fields for which have been released.

Country Grammer heads a projected field of 14 for the $12million G1 Dubai World Cup, sponsored by Emirates Airline. Bob Baffert's charge aims to become just the second dual winner of the race but faces tough opposition from an eight-strong Japanese challenge which includes Japan Cup winner Vela Azul and Saudi Cup winner Panthalassa.

The sole European raider is the Simon and Ed Crisford-trained Algiers, impressive winner of G2 Maktoum Challenge Round 1 and 2, while Fawzi Nass' Salute The Soldier heads the local challenge.

The $6million G1 Longines Dubai Sheema Classic has also attracted a strong international line-up, with Arima Kinen winner Equinox facing seven other Group 1 winners, including defending champion Shahryar and two from Hong Kong, Senor Toba and Russian Emperor. A three-pronged UK attack is made up of the John and Thady Gosden-trained Emily Upjohn and Neom Turf Cup winner Mostahdaf, while Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby winner Westover represents trainer Ralph Beckett.

The $5million G1 Dubai Turf (sponsored by DP World) could see history if Lord North, who won the race outright in 2021 and dead heated with Panthalassa last year, can win it for a third time. His formidable bunch of rivals include four from Japan, including Vin De Garde, twice placed in this race, and Japanese Derby winner Do Deuce.

The $2million G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen (sponsored by Nakheel) also features a defending champion in the Bhupat Seemar-trained Switzerland, who will attempt to become the third dual winner of the 1200metre dirt contest. He is up against a strong team from the US, including Peter Miller's Breeders' Cup Sprint second CZ Rocket and G2 Amsterdam Stakes winner Gunite, for Steve Asmussen.

An international field heads to the turf for the $1.5million G1 Al Quoz Sprint (sponsored by Azizi Developments) including Australian G3 winner The Astrologist, for Troy and Leon Corstens, and the Hong Kong-trained pair of Sight Success and Duke Wai.

There are 100 Kentucky Derby qualifying points up for grabs in the G2 UAE Derby, which Aidan O'Brien will seek to win for a fourth time with Cairo. Up against him are five for Japan, including Yoshito Yahagi's Continuar, while Baffert sends Worcester to represent the US, along with Doug O'Neill's Tall Boy and Ah Jeez.

The G2 Godolphin sees Yahagi's Bathrat Leon try to follow up his devastating 2022 win, against two compatriots, Lauda Sion, trained by Takashi Saito, and Yuichi Shikato's Win Carnelian. A strong local challenge is headed by last year's runner-up, Desert Wisdom, and Discovery Island, winner of the G3 Burj Nahaar last time out.

The longest race of the day is the G2 Dubai Gold Cup (sponsored by Al Tayer Motors), over 3200metres on turf. It welcomes back 2021 winner Subjectivist as part of a strong UK team which also includes Ebor Handicap winner Trawlerman, while O'Brien sends G1 winner Broome from Ireland and Sisfahan travels over for German trainer Henk Grewe.

The day's traditional curtain raiser is the Purebred Arabians' $1million G1 Dubai Kahayla Classic (sponsored by Emaar) which will see a clash of the last two winners in First Classs and Deryan.

“We are very excited about the strength of the fields for the 2023 Dubai World Cup meeting,” commented Major General Dr Mohammed Essa Al Adhab, General Manager of Dubai Racing Club. “We have horses arriving from 12 different countries and it is especially fantastic to welcome back runners from Hong Kong and Australia after a break of a few years.

“It is also superb to see so many defending champions here to try and make history, with Country Grammer aiming to become just the second dual Dubai World Cup winner. As ever, we thank trainers and owners for their support of the meeting and wish everyone the best of luck on March 25th.”

The 2023 Dubai World Cup meeting is the first in history to be run during the Holy Month of Ramadan. First post is scheduled for 3:30pm and tickets are available from dubairacingclub.com

The post Country Grammer Likely To Face Eight-Strong Japanese Challenge In Dubai World Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Last year it was Kneesnhips, this year Girl Named Charlie won the $75,000 Allen “Black Cat” LaCombe Memorial Stakes, making it back-to-back years that Tom Amoss has trained the top 3-year-old turf filly at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots.

Ridden by Edgar Morales, whose fiancé Keely gave birth to a girl named Raelynn earlier this week, Jerry Caroom and Jeffrey Lambert's Girl Named Charlie was the first to menace the leaders at the top of the stretch. With seven other sophomore fillies behind her, Girl Named Charlie grinded out the final furlong of the about one-mile LaCombe distance, holding off game late-efforts from Beautifulnavigator and the odds-on favorite Chop Chop.

Prevailing be a head, Girl Named Charlie stopped the clock in 1:42.87 over the Stall Wilson turf course rated firm with the rail out at 34 feet.

“(Girl Named Charlie) broke well and traveled perfectly.” Morales said. “They were going slower than I thought they would, and she was a little keen in the first turn, but then she settled to me and finished up really well. She sat behind the leaders and when I took her to the side at the top of the stretch, she went on and did her job.”

Amoss' other entry Camp Akeela got the jump on the field and clicked through the opening fraction in :24.97. Receiving pressure from Blame Day and Hayunevano, it was the latter who took the lead to make the second call in :51.15. After breaking from the outside post, Girl Named Charlie stalked the leaders 3-wide. The odds-on favorite, Chop Chop saved ground on the rail, and Beautifulnavigator settled in the back of the pack. Making the first move on the leaders, Girl Named Charlie shot out to the front and then was guided out to meet the challenge of Chop Chop, while Beautifulnavigator snuck through to surge to the leader's inside. Finding more closing kick, Girl Named Charlie prevailed by a head over Beautifulnavigator who finished a half-length in front of Chop Chop. Hang the Moon rounded out the superfecta.

“Girl Named Charlie is a horse who likes to lay back and make one late run,” Amoss said. “This race seemed to have quite a bit of speed in it including my other horse Camp Akeela, who ran well but was up against it based on how fast they went. It set up for closers. Jerry Caroom and Jeffrey Lambert have been very patient with me, this is the only second start of the winter with (Girl Named Charlie), and she has paid dividends to them for their patience. She has got a great closing kick and she showed it today.”

The third-choice in the win pools at a juicy 6-1, Girl Named Charlie paid $15.40, $6.60, and $3.40.

Camp Akeela, Blame Day, Hayunevano, and Beyond Doubt completed the order of finish.

A perfect two-for-two on the turf at Fair Grounds, Girl Named Charlie's career record is now 5-2-1-0 with $91,255 accumulated in earnings. The daughter of Maclean's Music out of the Dynaformer dam Dynarama was bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation.

The post ‘It Set Up For Closers’: Amoss Repeats In Allen ‘Black Cat’ LaCombe Memorial With Girl Named Charlie appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Favoritism is likely to be hotly contested in Friday's $100,000 Irish O'Brien Stakes at Santa Anita, as two ultra consistent mares, the Phil D'Amato-trained Alice Marble and the Carla Gaines-conditioned Big Summer head a field of six older fillies and mares competing at about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf course.

The Irish O'Brien is part of the lucrative CTBA-sponsored Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sired horses.

Owned and bred by Nick Alexander, Alice Marble, fresh off a win going six furlongs on the main track versus statebreds in the Spring Fever Stakes Feb. 19, rates a slight edge with Flavien Prat back in the saddle. A winner of six of her nine starts with D'Amato and never worse than third in any of them, this 6-year-old mare by Grazen out of the More Than Ready mare Unsung Heroine has solid hillside credentials that include second place finishes in the Grade 2 Monrovia on April 9 of last year and two in-the money performances in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint, most recently a third place finish on Jan. 7 and a second in last year's edition on Jan. 22, 2022.

With three stakes win and an overall mark of 14-6-2-3, Alice Marble has earnings of $410,880.

Big Summer, a 5-year-old mare by Mr. Big out of the Cee's Tizzy mare Ultimate Summer, is also a stakes winner down the hillside turf, as she defeated eight statebreds in the Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint two starts back on Jan. 7 and was most recently a game second, beaten a neck as the 9-5 favorite down the hill in the Wishing Well Stakes on Feb. 18.

Bred in California by Bob Abrams and Mitchell Dutko, Big Summer is owned by Abrams, Dutko and Michael Paran. A winner of two of her three starts down the hill, Big Summer was transferred to Gaines this past summer and has been ridden by Joe Bravo to three wins in her six starts with Gaines.

With Bravo back aboard, Big Summer will try to improve on an overall race record of 12-4-6-2 and earnings of $315,160.

Donald Valpredo's rapidly improving homebred Shocking Grey, in search of her third consecutive win with Juan Hernandez up, looms a dangerous horse who tries the hill and makes her first stakes start for the first time in the Irish O'Brien.

A 4-year-old filly by Grazen out of the Unbridled's Song mare Seoul Unbridled, Shocking Grey has raced exclusively on turf, winning twice and finishing second three times in her five career starts.

THE $100,000 IRISH O'BRIEN WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 6 of 10 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

1. Feeling Grazeful—Edwin Maldonado—120
2. Alice Marble—Flavien Prat—124
3. Big Summer—Joe Bravo—124
4. Shocking Grey—Juan Hernandez—120
5. Taming the Tigress—Umberto Rispoli—122
6. Rose Maddox—Hector Berrios—124

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

The post Ultra-Consistent Mares Alice Marble, Big Summer Headline Down The Hill O’Brien Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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In her first try at 1 1/4 miles on turf and ridden for the first time by Flavien Prat, trainer Simon Callaghan's Ballet Dancing stalked longshot Annaghlasa to the quarter pole, then took control from there before scoring a dominant 3½-length tally in Sunday's $100,000 Santa Ana (G3) at Santa Anita

Ballet Dancing finished the distance in 2:01.25 on a turf course rated as good.

Breaking alertly from the far outside, Ballet Dancing was quickly into stride as Annaghlasa and Ramon Vazquez set about carving out realistic early fractions of :24.01, :47.22 and 1:12.07 for six furlongs. (The one-mile fraction, set by the winner, was 1:36.70).

With 3-2 favorite Australia Mia in deep water midway around the far turn, there were no “dangers” among the remaining six older fillies and mares, and Prat and Ballet Dancing were able to put the Santa Ana away at the top of the lane.

“I watched some videos of her and talked to Simon,” said Prat, who rung up his second stakes win of the weekend and his eighth overall at the Classic Meet. “She (broke) well, got ourselves in the race and I was traveling really well all the way around. She responded really well when I asked her.”

When asked about the softer turf today, Prat responded “The turf has a little cut to it, but I thought it was really good.”

A first condition allowance winner going 1 1/8 miles on turf at Santa Anita two starts back on Dec. 26, Ballet Dancing was most recently fourth as the favorite in a second condition allowance at the same distance Feb. 3, Ballet Dancing was off  at 9-2 Sunday and paid $11.40 for the win.

“This was certainly the distance we've been waiting for,” said Callaghan. “…I think now as an older mare, she's just gonna flourish and I think these longer distances, a mile and a quarter and a mile and a half, they are going to be right in her wheelhouse.

“That's very much what the pedigree suggests and her (physical) frame. I think we should have a fun older year with her.”

A 4-year-old filly by Medaglia d'Oro out of the Unbridled's Song mare Fully Living, Ballet Dancing was purchased from co-breeder Ashview Farm for $800,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September yearling sale. M. V. Magnier signed the ticket. She is owned by Westerberg, Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith.

Third in the Honeymoon Stakes (G3) versus 3-year-old fillies in her third career start, Ballet Dancing notched her first stakes win Sunday and improved her overall mark to 3-1-2 from nine career starts. With the winner's share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $191,060.

Sixth, about 4 ½ lengths off the lead at the half-mile pole, Queen Ofthe Temple rallied well for the place while not threatening the winner. She finished a head better than third-place finisher Duvet Day.

An upset winner of the 1 1/2-mile Astra Stakes on turf at Santa Anita Jan. 21, Duvet Day lacked a similar closing kick at the Santa Ana distance and finished a nose better than fellow Irish-bred Buzz of New York.

The 3-2 favorite with Frankie Dettori, Australia Mia finished a distant last.

The post ‘This Was Certainly The Distance We’ve Been Waiting For’: Ballet Dancing Stretches Out, Scores Comfortable Santa Ana Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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