Tag: Racing

Ridden with confidence by jockey Ramon Vazquez, favored Cast Member remained undefeated with a 1 ¼ length victory in the $100,000 Soviet Problem Stakes Sunday at Los Alamitos.

Trained by Tim Yakteen for owner-breeder George Krikorian, the 2-year-old daughter of Munnings and the Artie Schiller mare Be My Baby tracked the pace while kept in the clear over the wet fast track, took over from pacesetter Cocktail Princess with less than quarter of a mile to run, and held 9-2 third choice Grazed My Heart safe in the final furlong.

Trying two turns for the first time after a pair of sprint wins – including the Golden State Juvenile Fillies Oct. 29 – Cast Member, the 7-10 favorite in a race restricted to fillies bred or sired in California – completed the mile in 1:38.26. She paid $3.40. The $60,000 winner's share of the Soviet Problem purse pushed her bankroll to $213,000.

“We had a perfect trip,'' said Vazquez, who rode Cast Member for the first time in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies.” We just followed the leaders on the outside. I just wanted to wait with her until the final quarter to make a move. She handled the track well. When I asked her she responded very well. I definitely think she's better around two turns.''

A winner over three different main tracks – with Los Alamitos following Del Mar and Santa Anita – Cast Member will now move to the turf for her next start, according to Yakteen.

The plan is to run the bay filly in the $200,000 Leigh Ann Howard California Cup Oaks Jan. 7. The race is at one mile on the Santa Anita grass.

“We're very happy with her race,'' he said. “She ran dynamite. The big question was how was she going to handle the track and she seemed like she absolutely enjoyed it. The California-bred program is a great one and we're looking forward to see what she does on the turf now.''

Grazed My Heart, who had defeated state-bred maidens at the Soviet Problem distance on grass Oct. 23, finished five lengths clear of 6-1 shot Cocktail Princess.

Big Celebration and Loyal to a Fault completed the order of finish.

The post ‘She Ran Dynamite’: Munnings Filly Cast Member Stays Unbeaten With Soviet Problem Score appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Avoman, sent off at 13-1, pulled out all the stops to win Sunday's $100,000 Steady Growth Stakes, the headliner on the final card of the 2022 Woodbine Thoroughbred season.

Lac Macaza, also at 13-1, broke sharply and took the lead in the 1 1/16-mile Tapeta race for Ontario-sired 3-year-olds and up, while Justin Stein, aboard Avoman, tucked the 4-year-old son of Old Forester into second spot as the field of eight passed navigated the opening turn.

Reaching the opening quarter in :25.08, Lac Macaza held a two-length advantage over Avoman, who was followed by Dun Drum and Artie's Storm. That lead ballooned to three lengths after a half reached in :49.76, as Avoman continued to track in second.

Rounding the turn for home, the two leaders began to separate themselves from the pack and started a throwdown that would last the length of the stretch, Lac Macaza digging in on the inside, and Avoman keeping pace with every stride to the outside of his rival.

At the wire, it was Avoman who prevailed by a hard-fought half-length in a time of 1:44.89. Multiple stakes winner Artie's Storm was third and even-money choice Candy Overload, supplemented to the race, finished fourth.

Stein, who has enjoyed another strong season in the saddle, was happy to come out on top at the end of the grueling stretch battle.

“I got great position early with my horse,” said Stein. “We were watching the horse [Lac Macaza] that Daisuke [Fukumoto] was riding. His horse was cruising along pretty easily, but he looked like he was maybe putting in a bit more energy than what I wanted to keep up with. So, my horse was comfortable and when I asked him to run, the other horse kicked on a little bit more and they really duked it out down the lane. It was fun. It was pretty awesome to be a witness to, and as a rider, when you come out on the better end of the stick, it's always nice. It is thrilling watching two horses really slug it out and really try to get the best of each other. You know they're real racehorses and it's a privilege to be on them.”

Claimed for $40,000 in May, trainer John Charalambous wasn't quite certain how Avoman would fare after he missed out on his last scheduled race.

“He got sick before his last race, so we had to scratch him. And he only had one work coming into this race, but he trained really strong last week. We were fortunate, everything worked out. He had a great trip. He had a little bit of racing luck, which he hasn't had for a few races.”

Charalambous was also pleased to see owners Paul Braverman and Timothy Pinch celebrate a stakes victory at the Toronto oval.

“They are American owners, but they put a lot of money in this game. Not just racing horses, but breeding horses, and I'm happy for them.”

Bred by Joey Gee Thoroughbreds, Avoman won the Bull Page Stakes in 2020 and the Plate Trial Stakes in 2021.

The dark bay paid $28.50.

The post Avoman Prevails In Hard-Fought Battle For Steady Growth Triumph On Closing Day At Woodbine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Next to last with a more quarter mile to run, favorite Kate's Kingdom unleashed an explosive stretch rally and scored her third stakes win of the year while providing the first career stakes victory for her trainer in the $125,000 My Charmer Sunday at Turfway Park.

Making her first start for trainer Will Walden, Kate's Kingdom saved ground in the early going, relaxing in ninth, then 10th through a half mile, and then dropping back to 11th in the field of a dozen fillies mares late on the final turn. Angled out,  the 4-year-old Animal Kingdom filly unfurled a furious closing drive for jockey Jack Gilligan and caught runner-up Candy Raid in the closing stages for a half-length triumph.

Time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:44.06 on the all-weather surface.

Champagne Lady, who led by a head in early stretch, was third, a length behind Candy Raid.

Walden is the son of former trainer Elliott Walden, who is president and CEO of WinStar Farm in Versailles, Kentucky. The younger Walden launched his training career this spring and won his first race with Ready Made Racing's Dazzlingdominika May 13 at Churchill Downs.

Kate's Kingdom returned $5.30. She entered the My Charmer following victory in the Ontario Matron (G3) an Oct. 22 at Woodbine. She is owned by a partnership that includes Stephen Screnci, Deters Company, and Frank Taylor et al.

Her other stakes win this year came in the Powder Break June 25 at Gulfstream Park. Sunday's win was her fourth in 10 starts of 2022 and her overall record improved to 5-6-2 from 19 starts and $284,983 in earnings. Prior to joining Walden's operation, she was trained by Armando De La Cerda.

Kate's Kingdom was bred in Kentucky by Midwest Thoroughbreds from the Don't Get Mad mare Don'tgetmadalexis. Screnci consigned her to Fasig-Tipton's Kate's Kingdom Digital Flash Sale earlier this month she sold as a racing/broodmare prospect to Ready Made Racing for $400,000.

The post Kate’s Kingdom Lands Turfway’s My Charmer With Explosive Rally, Gives Trainer Walden First Career Stakes Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Graded stakes-winning sophomore filly Hot Peppers, who scratched from Saturday's $120,000 Garland of Roses at Aqueduct Racetrack, will attempt to end her season on a high note when shipping to Santa Anita for the $300,000 La Brea (G1) on Dec. 26.

Owned by Michael Dubb and Michael J. Caruso, Hot Peppers was triumphant in her first two starts for trainer Rudy Rodriguez, capturing the Jersey Girl and Victory Ride (G3) in wire-to-wire fashion over the summer at Belmont Park. She was only 1 1/2 lengths shy of a Grade 1 victory when second in the Aug. 6 Longines Test at Saratoga Race Course before finishing fourth as the lukewarm favorite in the Prioress (G2) on Sept. 2 over the same oval.

She initially targeted the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) at Keeneland for her return, but was scratched after stepping on a stone in training and developing a bruise.

Hot Peppers, a daughter of Khozan, breezed a half-mile over the Belmont training track in :48.75 Saturday in preparation for the seven-furlong La Brea.

“She worked well yesterday and seemed to be doing well this morning, so everything is pointing that way,” Rodriguez said. “We were going to run her here because it's her home track, but the boss wants to try for some more Grade 1 black type. For her resume as a broodmare, it would make sense for us to try that. We just have to get lucky and hope for the best.”

A private purchase from previous owner and trainer Ronald Spatz following an open-lengths maiden win at Gulfstream Park, Hot Peppers remained with Spatz through her next three starts, including a pair of scores against winners at Gulfstream ahead of a troubled off-the-board effort in the Sophomore Fillies in March at Tampa Bay Downs.

Bred in Florida by Brent Fernung and Crystal Fernung, Hot Peppers is out of the Friends Lake mare Friends Pro. She has banked $392,950 and has a career line of 5-2-0 from nine starts.

The post ‘The Boss Want To Try For Some More Grade 1 Black Type’: Test Runner-Up Hot Peppers To Make Cross-Country Trip For La Brea At Santa Anita appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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