Tag: Racing

Wentru and Who's the Star shared the winner's circle in a compelling running of the $155,900 Valedictory Stakes (G3) Sunday at Woodbine.

It was a tale of two different trips that would see a pair of 4-year-olds arrive at the same destination.

Wentru, at 42-1, was put on the lead by Rafael Hernandez at the outset of the 1 ½-mile Tapeta event for 3-year-olds and up, while Emma-Jayne Wilson, aboard Who's the Star, settled the multiple graded stakes winner into tenth of 12 runners early.

Ahead by one-length after a quarter-mile in :24.85, Wentru was followed by the trio of Angelou, British Royalty and Collective Force, while Who's the Star, saddled with post 12, remained off the rail and in tenth.

It was status quo for the top four through a half in :49.47, as Who's the Star still only had two rivals behind him. Reaching three-quarters in 1:15.49, Wentru, who came into the Valedictory riding a three-race win streak, was still running comfortably on the lead.

As the field rounded the turn for home, Wentru began to increase his lead, and was still 1 ¼-lengths on top at Robert Geller's stretch call, while Who's the Star began to make up ground to the far outside and moved into third.

With the wire drawing closer, Who's the Star was in full flight, as Wentru dug in gamely at the rail, the battle culminating in a dead-heat in a final time of 2:31.10. English Conqueror finished third, just a neck behind the winning pair. Novo Sol (BRZ), making his second straight start at Woodbine, was fourth.

It was the stakes debut for the Martin Drexler-trained Wentru, now 6-1-2 from 19 career starts for owner TEC Racing. The 4-year-old son of Tourist, bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corp., is 4-0-1 from eight starts on the campaign.

“He relaxed,” said Hernandez. “I wanted to get him more relaxed, but he was on the bridle all the way. It helped that no one went head-to-head with me. I was able to get the jump before everybody. I know we were slowing, and if I can get the jump, I know he was going to do his job. We got the dead-heat, but he ran unbelievable.”

Who's the Star, trained by dual Hall of Fame conditioner Mark Casse, notched his third straight win, all graded stakes, with today's win.

Owned by M Racing Group LLC, the 4-year-old son of Tonalist stamped himself as a top contender for Canada's champion older horse honors.

Bred by Oscar and John R. Penn, Who's the Star is 7-1-2 from 17 starts overall and 6-0-0 from 11 starts in 2022.

“It was a different kind of pace setup for this race, a mile and a half you get a lot more horses coming from well off it,” said Wilson. “I thought there would be a lot more pace up front. I never got over to the rail and I needed to get going. There were a lot of horses in the race. He's got that wicked kick, so I swung him to the outside and got him going as fast as I could.

“This is what we're here for, to get on fast horses, and he's a really fast horse,” Wilson continued. “He's been wonderful to partner with. He absolutely, 100 percent deserves the congratulations at the end of the year, the year-end awards.”

Wentru paid $30.30, and Who's the Star returned $3.40.

The post Valedictory Dead Heat: 42-1 Longshot Wentru, Favorite Who’s the Star Finish On Even Terms At Woodbine appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Taiba, a two-time Grade 1 winner and one of the top 3-year-old males of his class, will aim to close out his 2022 campaign on a high note in the Malibu Stakes (G1) on Dec. 26 at Santa Anita Park for owner Zedan Racing and trainer Bob Baffert.

The son of Gun Runner has been one of the most consistent horses among this year's sophomores, in the money for five of his six starts, with all but his debut win coming against Grade 1 competition.

He enters the Malibu off a third-place effort in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland, where he posted a career-best 110 Beyer Speed Figure and outfinished all other 3-year-olds in the field, including Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Rich Strike.

“He's all racehorse,” Baffert said. “He reminds me a lot of his sire, Gun Runner. Very well put together, beautiful conformation, great temperament, a powerful horse, and sort of a smaller version of Justify.

“He broke his maiden very impressively and won the Santa Anita Derby (G1) in just his second start,” the trainer continued. “He was the co-favorite for the Kentucky Derby, but it was just a bit too much, too soon. He ran a great race in the Haskell (G1) and another big race in the Pennsylvania Derby (G1). I thought he was the best 3-year-old all year long. Very proud of his effort in the Breeders' Cup Classic. This horse will get even better with age.”

If Taiba is successful in the Malibu, he will be the only North American-based 3-year-old colt to notch three Grade 1 victories this season.

After breaking his maiden on debut by 7 ½ lengths and posting a 103 Beyer, Taiba stepped up in class to test the Santa Anita Derby, and he passed with flying colors, winning by 2 ¼ lengths ahead of multiple Grade 3 winner Messier, who was himself another 10 lengths ahead of the third-place finisher.

Taiba finished second by a head in the Haskell Invitational Stakes off a track record time, then he shipped east again to topple a stacked field in the Pennsylvania Derby. In that race, he outkicked Grade 1 winner Zandon by three lengths and defeated fellow Grade 1 winners Cyberknife and White Abarrio, all while earning a 108 Beyer.

His efforts in the Pennsylvania Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic give Taiba two of the top three Beyer figures earned by a 3-year-old this season going a distance greater than a mile.

Taiba has been working toward the Malibu at Santa Anita Park, where he most recently turned in a five-furlong breeze in 1:01.80 on Nov. 27.

“We feel he has a lot of improvement left in him,” said Gary Young, Amr Zedan's racing manager. “We have a lot of confidence in this horse. The Malibu provides a good bridge between the Breeders' Cup and next year's Saudi Cup. His recent work this past weekend was very strong and we believe he'll be sharp in the Malibu. The long-term goal is to get him back to the Breeders' Cup Classic at the end of next year.”

Owner Amr Zedan added, “We are very proud of all Taiba has accomplished so far. We fell in love with this colt at the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale and were willing to pay a lot of money for him as two-year-old. He's lived up to our expectations and seems to be getting better and better. We would be thrilled and honored if he were to win an Eclipse Award for his tremendous efforts.”

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Jun Light Bolt unleashed a furious closing rally and snatched victory from front-runner Crown Pride in the final strides in the $2,254,000 Champions Cup (G1) Sunday at Chukyo Racecourse in Japan.

The 5-year-old King Kamehameha bay switched to dirt racing this year after winning four of 21 starts on turf and registered his first Grade 1 win Sunday in his only fourth dirt start.

Quick out of the gate, Jun Light Bolt eased back to settle around ninth from early leader Red Soldado. Though meeting traffic entering the lane, he waited until finding an opening outside T O Keynes 200 meters out, then unleashed a powerful burst of speed to overtake former U.S. classic starter Crown Pride nearing the wire for a neck victory.

Jun Light Bolt, trained by Yasuo Tomomichi for owner Junji Kawai, covered about 1 1/8 miles in 1:51.9 on a track rated as standard.

“I can't find any other word to describe this other than 'happy',” winning rider Yukito Ishikawa said of Jun Light Bolt, who was sent off the third choice in the 16-horse field. “I tried to feel the horse's rhythm and was confident that if we can find an open space after entering the lane, he would burst out. The colt responded so well that I knew we could win. Though I have yet to feel my first Grade 1 win, I would like to savor this joy from now on.”

Fourth pick and 2022 UAE Derby (G2) victor Crown Pride, subsequently 13th in the Kentucky Derby (G1), was keen to run early, tracked the leader in second, took the lead at the top of the stretch and, though upstaged at the finish by the fast-closing winner, held the rest of the field by 1 1/4 lengths for second.

Hapi broke sharply and eased back to settle behind Crown Pride in third of fourth position. The Kizuna colt overtook the tiring pacesetter 300 meters out but failed to close the gap between the runner-up and was passed by the winner in the last 100 meters while securing third place from T O Keynes by a neck.

Odds-on-favorite T O Keynes, seeking a repeat win in the Champions Cup, missed his break and traveled four wide approximately sixth from the front. He made headway entering the lane and advanced to third at the 200-meter pole but was unable to make ground and was overtaken by the winner in the last 100 meters to finish fourth.

Jun Light Bolt was bred in Japan by Northern Farm. He was produced by the Special Week mare Special Groove.

The post Jun Light Bolt Upstages Former U.S. Classic Starter Crown Pride In Japan’s Champions Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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New York invader Liguria captured the Grade 3, $103,500 Jimmy Durante Stakes at Del Mar on Saturday with a fine stretch move under Flavien Prat to prove 2 1/2 lengths the best over longshot Decorated My Life, an Irish-bred making her U.S. debut. Sell the Dream was nosed out of the runner-up position and was a neck ahead of Ami Please in the field of 12 2-year-old fillies.

The winner, a daughter of War Front trained by Chad Brown, ran a mile on firm turf in 1:36.16. She paid $4.80 as the 7-5 favorite.

Liguria earned a winner's share of $60,000 for her second win in her third start and she now sports earnings of $123,250.

The filly is owned by Alpha Delta Stables of Jonathan Clay of Palm Beach, Fla.

Liguria broke from the No. 11 post position and was four wide around the first turn, then even wider into the stretch as she rallied from sixth position to get the win going away.

“She was travelling well and I was confident,” said Prat. When I rode her in New York (her maiden victory on Oct. 22 at the Belmont at Aqueduct meeting), she showed me a good turn of foot. I thought I'd get it again today and it worked out that way.”

“We always liked this filly,” said Jose Hernandez, an assistant to trainer Brown. “She came to Del Mar in good shape; training really well. She just did her thing today. I told him (Flavien Prat) my boss said just warm her up really good and put her in a good position and go from there.”

Brown previously won the Jimmy Durante in 2020 with Fluffy Socks. This was his 15th stakes win overall at Del Mar.

Prior to the Durante, in the inaugural running of the $101,500 Stormy Liberal Stakes, leading trainer Phil D'Amato combined with leading rider Juan Hernandez to capture the five-furlong turf stakes with Turn On The Jets in :55.75 to pay $6.60 as the favorite in the dash.

The Irish-bred, 3-year-old chestnut gelding slipped up the rail and came away a two and a quarter length winner in the end. He's owned by a partnership that includes the Benowitz Family Trust, John Rochfort and partners.

He picked up a first prize of $60,000 and improved his bankroll to $142,909.

Del Mar's final day of racing will be Sunday with a nine-race card starting at 12:30 p.m. The track's popular Pick 6 Single Ticket Jackpot wager will offer a mandatory payout on closing day. There will be a carryover of $513,150 in the pot to start the day off and the final pool should easily be worth several millions of dollars.

The post Prat Guides East Coast Invader Liguria To Jimmy Durante Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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