Tag: Racing

A winner of this year's Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby, the Bob Baffert-trained Taiba heads a field of nine sophomores going seven furlongs in Santa Anita's signature opening day feature Monday, the Grade 1, $300,000 Runhappy Malibu Stakes.

Most recently third in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic, finishing 8 ¾ lengths behind presumptive Horse of the Year Flightline, Taiba, who took the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby two starts back on Sept. 24, will be seeking to become the only 3-year-old colt or gelding to win three Grade 1 wins on the year and will thus try to make a late case for an Eclipse Award as top 3-year-old Male.

A $1.7 million purchase out of a 2-year-old in training sale in March of last year, Taiba is owned by Zedan Racing Stables, Inc. and will be ridden by Mike Smith, who has been aboard for his last five races, all of which have been around two turns.

A first-out winner here going six furlongs under John Velazquez on March 5, Taiba attended the early pace and won the Santa Anita Derby April 9 in only his second career start.

Baffert, who will also be sending out multiple graded stakes winner Messier, will be seeking his fifth win in the prestigious Malibu, which was taken last year by presumptive Horse of the Year Flightline.

A winner of both the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes and the Grade 2 San Felipe here earlier this year, Richard Mandella's Forbidden Kingdom was subsequently dispatched as the even money favorite in the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 9, but he went to the sidelines after finishing sixth and last.

Off at even money in his comeback race, the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship Oct. 1, Forbidden Kingdom showed the way to the top of the lane but tired to finish fifth, beaten 3 ¾ lengths. Most recently third, beaten a half length in a six furlong allowance at Del Mar, Forbidden Kingdom will try to stop a three-game skid as he seeks his first Grade 1 win.

A chestnut colt by 2015 Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, Forbidden Kingdom is owned by MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm, LLC. Ridden by Juan Hernandez in all eight of his starts, he has three wins, a second and two thirds.

Trainer Wesley Ward looms dangerous in the Malibu with Kentucky shipper Nakatomi, who comes off a big allowance win going 6 ½ furlongs at Keeneland Nov. 5. A chestnut gelding by Firing Line, Nakatomi will be ridden back by Tyler Gaffalione. Owned by Bottle Rocket Stable, Qatar Racing Limited and Marc Detampel, Nakatomi, who is 8-4-1-1 overall, will be trying seven panels for the first time.

With Flavien Prat climbing aboard for the first time, the Dallas Stewart-trained Strava also rates a big chance on Monday shipping in from New Orleans. A big 6 ½ length allowance winner going a one-turn mile in the Churchill Downs slop Nov. 27, Strava, who was off the board in his only graded stakes try this year, earned a lofty 98 Beyer Speed Figure on Nov. 27 and looks to be a now commodity.

Owned by WinStar Farm, LLC, Siena Farm, LLC and former two-time NCAA Division Champion and Hall of Fame basketball coach Denny Crum, Strava was a first-out winner going six furlongs at age two and is 9-3-1-3 overall.

THE GRADE 1 RUNHAPPY MALIBU WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 10 of 11 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

1. Forbidden Kingdom—Juan Hernandez—122
2. Messier—John Velazquez—122
3. Apprehend—Ramon Vazquez—120
4. Nakatomi—Tyler Gaffalione—120
5. Hoist the Gold—Joel Rosario–120
6. Taiba—Mike Smith—124
7. Perfect Flight—Ricardo Santana, Jr.—120
8. Strava—Flavien Prat—120
9. Straight No Chaser—Edwin Maldonado—120

Special early first post time for an 11-race card that includes six graded stakes on opening day is at 11 a.m., with admission gates opening at 9 a.m.

The post Ship-Ins Nakatomi, Strava Rate Solid Chances Against Taiba In Monday’s Malibu appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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With four horses entered, Monday's Grade 1, $300,000 La Brea Stakes would appear to run through the Bob Baffert stable. His Midnight Memories, fresh off a pair of graded stakes wins, rates top billing in a very competitive field of eight sophomore fillies going seven furlongs on Santa Anita's opening day 11-race card.

Owned and bred by longtime Baffert devotees Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Midnight Memories has been idle since galloping to a 3 ¼ length score going 1 1/16 miles in the Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes here on Oct. 2.

A winner of the Grade 2 Torrey Pines Stakes going a flat mile at Del Mar two starts back, Midnight Memories will be ridden for the third time in a row by Ramon Vazquez as she seeks her first Grade 1 trophy.

A Kentucky-bred daughter of Mastery, Midnight Memories has tasted defeat just once in five starts, a troubled third place finish is a six furlong allowance three starts back on July 28. Favored in four out of her five races, she looms the pari-mutuel choice in the La Brea as well.

Owned by Baoma Corp, Baffert's Ganadora, a $1 million Keeneland September Yearling purchase, comes off an eight-length score going a flat mile in and ungraded stakes at Los Alamitos and will be ridden for the first time by Johnny Velazquez.

A winner of her first two starts at 6 ½ furlongs, Ganadora has won three of her four starts and will be trying Grade 1 competition for the first time.

Baffert is also solidly represented by his California-bred Fun to Dream, who he bred in partnership with Connie Pageler, who is also the co-owner along with Baffert's wife Jill.

By Arrogate, Fun to Dream comes off a much better than looked head victory going seven furlongs in the statebred Betty Grable Stakes at Del Mar Nov. 13. In search of her third consecutive win, Fun to Dream has won four out of her five starts, all in partnership with Juan Hernandez, who's back aboard in the La Brea.

Idle since finishing second to Eclipse Champ Ce Ce going 6 ½ furlongs in the Grade 2 Chillingworth Stakes here on Oct. 2, Baffert's Under the Stars, who took the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes in her only try at seven furlongs six starts back on Jan. 8, will be reunited with Flavien Prat, who was aboard for the Santa Ynez score. Owned by Mrs. John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith the Kentucky-bred filly by Pioneerof the Nile is 9-3-2-2 overall.

In what will be her first Southern California start, the speedy Hot Peppers, who ships in from Belmont Park for trainer Rudy Rodriguez, was a close second two starts back in the Grade 1 Test Stakes going seven panels on Aug. 6 at Saratoga and she was most recently fourth as the 2-1 favorite in the Grade 2 Prioress as six furlongs on Sept. 2 at Saratoga.

By the Distorted Humor stallion Khozan, Hot Peppers, who was a Grade 3 winner sprinting three starts back, is 9-5-2-0 overall and is owned by Michael Dubb and Michael Caruso.

THE GRADE 1 LA BREA WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 11 Approximate post time 2:30p.m. PT

1. Under the Stars – Flavien Prat – 122
2. Hot Peppers – Tyler Gaffalione – 122
3. Ganadora – John Velazquez – 120
4. Midnight Memories – Ramon Vazquez – 122
5. Ain't Easy – Joel Rosario – 120
6. Fun to Dream – Juan Hernandez – 120
7. Kirsten Bosch – Kazushi Kimura – 120
8. Awake At Midnyte – Mario Gutierrez – 120

First post time for an 11-race card that includes six graded stakes on Monday is at 11 a.m. Admission gates open at 9 a.m.

The post Midnight Memories Chasing First Grade 1; Four Of Eight La Brea Entries From Baffert Stable appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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North America's leading active money earner, the Bob Baffert-trained Country Grammer will be reunited with European superstar jockey Frankie Dettori as he heads Monday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Antonio Stakes, which has attracted a field of six 3-year-olds and up and is one of six graded stakes on Santa Anita's 11-race opening day card in Arcadia, Calif.

Dettori, 52, announced this past Saturday that 2023 will be his final year in the saddle and that he will ride full-time at Santa Anita for approximately the first 2 ½ months of the new year.  He further noted that his incredible 36-year run in the saddle will conclude at The Great Race Place with the 40th running of the Breeders' Cup World Championships on Nov. 3-4.

In his lone pairing with the legendary Dettori, Country Grammer swept to a 1 3/4-length victory in the G1, $12-million Dubai World Cup four starts back on March 26, his lone win from five starts this year.  An agonizing second, beaten a half length in the world's richest race, the G1, $20-million Saudi Cup on Feb. 26, Country Grammer, who is 5-1-4-0 this year, has thus banked $10,780,000 in 2022, contributing mightily to his career earnings total of $11,157,320.

Owned by Zedan Stables, Inc., Winstar Farm, and Commonwealth Thoroughbreds, Country Grammer, a 5-year-old full horse by Tonalist, is 13-4-5-1 overall.

The speed of the San Antonio field would appear to be Hopkins, a lightly raced 4-year-old colt by Quality Road who is stretching out around two turns for the first time and is one of three Baffert trainees in the lineup.

A gate to wire seven furlong maiden winner two starts back on Oct. 23, Hopkins, who has two wins and as many seconds from four starts, comes off a half-length allowance score at six furlongs Nov. 26 and will thus be seeking his third win in a row in what will be his initial stakes engagement.

A $900,000 Keeneland September Yearling, Hopkins is owned by SF Racing,  Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, et al.  He will again be ridden by regular pilot Juan Hernandez.

John Sadler and Hronis Racing, LLC, will send out long-fused Heywoods Beach, a winner of the G3 Tokyo City Cup at 1 1/2 miles at Santa Anita two starts back and who was most recently second going 1 5/8 miles in the G2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes at Keeneland Nov. 4 on the Breeders' Cup undercard.

A 5-year-old full horse by Speightstown, Heywoods Beach is 21-5-3-3 overall and will be ridden for the fifth time in a row by Ramon Vazquez.

The post Santa Anita: Dettori Partnering With Country Grammer In San Antonio appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Pace will undoubtedly be a key factor in Monday's Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Anita Mathis Mile, as a field of seven sophomores duel on the turf in one of six graded stakes on Santa Anita's Classic Meet opening day in Arcadia, Calif.

A dedicated deep closer, Phil D'Amato's Irish-bred Balnikhov rallied from far off the pace to take the G3 Bryan Station Stakes by a neck going one mile on turf at Keeneland Oct. 29.  Ridden for the first time by Tyler Gaffalione, Balnikhov wheeled six-wide turning for home and weaved his way through traffic late to score impressively in a field of 12 sophomores over a firm turf.

Second going a mile on turf at Santa Anita in his U.S. debut in the ungraded Singletary Stakes six starts back on April 2, Balnikhov, who is three for four at one mile on grass, would obviously relish the prospect of a fast pace.

Owned by Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC and Old Bone Racing, LLC, Balnikhov, who came to Southern California as a gelding after winning three of his first eight starts in France, is 14-5-3-2 overall with earnings of $398,343.

Unbeaten in two starts at a mile on turf, Richard Mandella's Sumter, most recently third, beaten 2 ¼ lengths going five furlongs on turf in the ungraded Stormy Liberal Stakes Dec. 3 at Del Mar, has ample natural speed and solid credentials.

A close third three starts back going 1 1/16 miles on turf in Del Mar's G3 La Jolla Handicap Aug. 7, Sumter is a two-time turf stakes winner at Santa Anita at the one-mile distance, having won both the April 2 Singletary and Feb. 19 Pasadena Stakes.

A 3-year-old colt by top turf sire War Front, Sumter was bred in Kentucky by Bass Stables and is owned by Perry R. Bass II and Ramona Bass.  Sumter, who is 9-3-2-2 overall, will be reunited with Mike Smith, who rode him to his Singletary victory and third place finish in the La Jolla Handicap.

GRADE II SANTA ANITA MATHIS MILE (TURF)

WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST ORDER

Race 1 of 11 Post time is 11 a.m. PT

1-Balnikhov—Tyler Gaffalione—122

2-One More Bid—Ramon Vazquez—120

3-I'm A Gambler—Flavien Prat—120

4-Time to Party—Joe Bravo—120

5-Agatino—Umberto Rispoli—120

6-Handy Dandy—Joel Rosario—122

7-Sumter—Mike Smith–122

Special early first post time on opening day, Monday, is at 11 a.m. PT with admission gates opening at 9 a.m.  All attendees will receive Santa Anita's traditional wall calendar free with paid admission.

The post Mathis Mile Kicks Off Opening Day Card Of Santa Anita Classic Meet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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