Tag: Red Carpet Ready

Alva Starr Gains Revenge On Vahva In Madison

Dale Ladner's Alva Starr (Lord Nelson) was run down by Vahva (Gun Runner) in the shadow of the winning post and dropped a narrow decision in the GII Lexus Raven Run S. during last year's fall meeting at Keeneland. But the speedy bay–favored by about $9,000 when all was said and done in the GI Resolute Racing Madison S.–managed to reverse form by a similar margin Saturday, even as she was forced to show a new dimension.

In the vanguard early, Alva Starr was eased back into a wide fourth to sit just off the pace into the turn as Red Carpet Ready (Oscar Performance) sped through from her inside draw to duel with Hot And Sultry (Speightster) through an opening quarter in :21.98. Consigned to a four-deep run around the turn, a stark contrast to normal front-running ways, Alva Star nevertheless rolled up outside, easily claimed Red Carpet Ready at the three-sixteenths pole and set sail for the wire. Still clear into the final furlong, Alva Starr was able to hold sway as Vahva was taking ground off of her with every stride.

Winning jockey Tyler Gaffalione admitted that the race did not unfold precisely as planned.

“No, [coming from off the pace wasn't the plan], but there was a lot of speed up there and I didn't want to get into a four-way battle,” he said. “She relaxed for me and when I called on her, she responded for me. I peeked over at the screen at about the eighth pole and I saw somebody [Vahva] was to my outside, but my filly was still running at that point and I was fairly confident we were going to be able to get the job done.”

Runner-up in allowance company in her first two starts at three at Oaklawn and Churchill, Alva Starr dominated older females in the July 8 Dashing Beauty S. at Delaware Park, then bossed her peers by 8 3/4 lengths in the GII Prioress S. at Saratoga Sept. 2. Beaten a half-length at 9-10 in the Raven Run, Alva Starr resumed with a smooth 3 1/2-length tally in a muddy renewal of the Feb. 3 American Beauty S. in Hot Springs.

Pedigree Notes:

Dale Ladner paid $30,000 for a first-crop filly from the first crop of Into Mischief at the 2011 Breeders' Sales Company of Louisiana's September Yearling Sale, and Sittin At the Bar would go on to win 11 of 19 starts–nine in stakes company–and over $700,000 while under the care of Brett Brinkman.

Sittin At the Bar has been even more successful in her second career, as each of her four sons and daughters to make the races are black-type winners, including Alva Starr's half-sister Cilla, who won the 2021 Prioress S.

Sittin At the Bar is also the dam of the 2-year-old filly Walkinaftermidnite, a yearling Gun Runner filly and was most recently bred to Cyberknife.

Saturday, Keeneland
RESOLUTE RACING MADISON S.-GI, $591,050, Keeneland, 4-6, 4yo/up, f/m, 7f, 1:23.36, ft.
1–ALVA STARR, 123, f, 4, by Lord Nelson
                1st Dam: Sittin At the Bar (MSW & GSP, $705,896), by Into Mischief
                2nd Dam: Fast Laner, by Mutakddim
                3rd Dam: Lois Laner, by Cutlass Reality
1ST GRADE I WIN. O-P. Dale Ladner; B-Brett A. Brinkman & P. Dale Ladner (KY); T-Brett A. Brinkman; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $358,050. Lifetime Record: 8-5-3-0, $778,450. *1/2 to Cilla (California Chrome), GSW & GISP, $509,000; 1/2 to Jack the Umpire (Bodemeister), SW, $193,435; 1/2 to Club Car (Malibu Moon), SW & MGSP, $677,265. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Vahva, 123, f, 4, by Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Holiday Soiree (SW & GISP, $405,642), by Harlan's Holiday
                2nd Dam: Try to Remember, by Include
                3rd Dam: Casanova Striker, by Smart Strike
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($280,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Belladonna Racing, LLC, Edward J. Hudson, Jr., West Point Thoroughbreds, LBD Stable LLC, Nice Guys Stables, Manganaro Bloodstock, Runnels Racing, Hornstock, Steve and Twin Brook Stables; B-Woodford Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. $115,500.
3–Red Carpet Ready, 123, f, 4, by Oscar Performance
                1st Dam: Wild Silk, by Street Sense
                2nd Dam: Spun Silk, by A.P. Indy
                3rd Dam: Spunoutacontrol, by Wild Again
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($180,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG; $100,000 RNA 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Ashbrook Farm and Upland Flats Racing; B-Lynn B. Schiff (KY); T-George R. Arnold, II. $57,750.
Margins: HF, 4HF, 1. Odds: 2.16, 2.38, 4.88.
Also Ran: Sterling Silver, Maryquitecontrary, Hot and Sultry, Big Pond, Icicles.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Cross Traffic’s Maple Leaf Mel Wins Battle of the Undefeateds in Victory Ride

Billed as a showdown between unbeaten sophomore fillies Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) and Dazzling Blue (Into Mischief), with the added bonus of Red Carpet Ready (Oscar Performance), who took down previously unbeaten Munnys Gold (Munnings) in Churchill's GII Eight Belles S. May 5, Belmont's GIII Victory Ride S. didn't disappoint as Maple Leaf Mel turned back a stiff challenge from Dazzling Blue and stayed unbeaten in five starts.

Interpolate (Into Mischief) bobbled out of the gate, but Maple Leaf Mel broke straight and true. The gray found her customary spot on the lead with ease, setting :22.54 and :45.52 fractions as Red Carpet Ready pursued her from second and Dazzling Blue followed closely in third. The trio stayed one-two-three until exiting the turn, when Red Carpet Ready dropped off and Dazzling Blue looked poised to strike. The latter tried to run down the easy-moving Maple Leaf Mel, but couldn't catch her and swapped to her wrong lead late as she tired.

“It definitely gives me a big relief,” said Melanie Giddings, a former assistant to the winner's previous trainer, Jeremiah Englehart, but now herself the trainer of record. “She's amazing. She's won at Aqueduct, Belmont, twice at Saratoga, and Pimlico. She's pretty incredible.”

The undefeated Victory Ride winner debuted last summer at Saratoga, took the state-bred Seeking the Ante S. and the state-bred East View S. with a seven-month hiatus in between, and made both her open company and graded company debut May 19 with a gate-to-wire, geared-down joyride in the GIII Miss Preakness S. at Pimlico. Never headed, Maple Leaf Mel has led at every call in all five starts. Giddings indicated the gray will target the GI Test S. Aug. 5 at Saratoga.

August Dawn Farm bought Maple Leaf Mel as a Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Spring 2-year-old last year for $150,000 after she worked in :10.2. The operation named her for Englehart's then-assistant Giddings, who was diagnosed with cancer in 2020. Englehart trained the filly for her first four starts, but Giddings took over as trainer of record after the Miss Preakness win.

“I've been texting Jeremiah all day about the filly and he wished me the best of luck,” said Giddings. “I wish he could have been here with me.”

Pedigree Notes:

Maple Leaf Mel is one of four graded winners and 15 black-type winners for Spendthrift's Cross Traffic, an Unbridled's Song son who was also represented by GI Cental Bank Ashland S. winner Defining Purpose's win in the GIII Indiana Oaks about 30 minutes prior to the Victory Ride.

A New York-bred, Maple Leaf Mel has one younger half-sibling, a 2-year-old colt by Brody's Cause. Cole Bennett had bought the mare carrying that now-2-year-old for $4,000 at the 2021 Keeneland January sale. Florida-bred City Gift is by the unraced City Place, whose four stakes winners out of his daughters include 2020 Canadian Horse of the Year Mighty Heart (Dramedy).

Saturday, Belmont
VICTORY RIDE S.-GIII, $175,000, Belmont, 7-8, 3yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:15.74, ft.
1–MAPLE LEAF MEL, 124, f, 3, by Cross Traffic
               1st Dam: City Gift, by City Place
               2nd Dam: For My Wife, by Not For Love
               3rd Dam: Heavens to Betsy, by Miswaki
($18,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $150,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). O-August
Dawn Farm; B-Joe Fafone (NY); T-Melanie Giddings; J-Joel
Rosario. $96,250. Lifetime Record: 5-5-0-0, $399,650. *1/2 to
Eddie's Gift (El Corredor), SP, $167,950. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Dazzling Blue, 120, f, 3, Into Mischief–Blue Violet, by Curlin.
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($500,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP).
O-Juddmonte; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.
$35,000.
3–Vahva, 120, f, 3, Gun Runner–Holiday Soiree, by Harlan's
Holiday. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($280,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP).
O-Belladonna Racing, LLC, Edward J. Hudson, Jr., West Point
Thoroughbreds, LBD Stable LLC, Nice Guys Stables, Manganaro
Bloodstock, Runnels Racing, Steve Hornstock and Twin Brook
Stables; B-Woodford Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-Cherie
DeVaux. $21,000.
Margins: 2HF, 1HF, 7. Odds: 2.75, 5.60, 8.00.
Also Ran: Interpolate, Downtown Mischief, Topsy, Red Carpet Ready, Adeliese's Smile.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Pair of Stakes Kick Off Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Thursday

ELMONT, NY – A pair of stakes races, led by the featured GII Wonder Again S. for 3-year-old fillies on grass, will raise the curtain on the three-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Thursday afternoon.

Repole Stable's Spansive (Karakontie {Jpn}) will put her perfect two-for-two record on the line for Todd Pletcher while making her stakes debut in the eight-deep Wonder Again.

Trainer Chad Brown will have three chances for his fifth Wonder Again win. He will saddle 5-2 morning-line favorite Revalita (Fr) (Recoletos {Fr}), a rallying second in the GII Edgewood S. at Churchill May 5; the rail-drawn co-second choice Venencia (Fr) (Recoletos {Fr}), third as the favorite while making her U.S. bow in a Keeneland allowance Apr. 27; and last out Belmont maiden winner Prerequisite (Upstart).

Last term's GI Frizette S. winner Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke), meanwhile, will launch her sophomore campaign a race earlier versus six rivals in the six-furlong $150,000 Jersey Girl S. The dark bay failed to fire while making her first attempt around two turns in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland Nov. 4. Like the aforementioned Spansive, Chocolate Gelato is owned and trained by the same connections as GI Belmont S. morning-line favorite Forte (Violence). This race's namesake Jersey Girl provided Pletcher with his first Grade I victory as a trainer in the 1998 Acorn.

Drawn on the rail and sporting an imposing record of four wins from five career starts, Red Carpet Ready (Oscar Performance) is the horse to beat after hanging on by a head in the seven-furlong GII Eight Belles on the GI Kentucky Oaks undercard.

Thursday's 10-race program gets underway at 3:05 p.m. ET.

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Oscar Performance Filly Takes the ‘Gold’ in Eight Belles

While Friday's GII Eight Belles S. was bet more or less like a coronation for the freaky and previously unbeaten Munnys Gold, Red Carpet Ready–whose own perfect record was tarnished last out–had other ideas. Away as the second choice almost 14 times the favorite's odds, Red Carpet Ready shadowed the pacesetting chalk early with both kept well off the inside. Red Carpet Ready put the screws to Munnys Gold around the turn after a :45.11 half, and quickly opened up as noses pointed for home. Munnys Gold dug in deep, however, and clawed back almost all of the ground she'd given up late, but Red Carpet Ready found the line with a long nose to spare.

“This filly had a good break, and she put us right in it,” said winning rider Luis Saez. “When she got the lead, I wanted her to open it up, but she was waiting a little bit. When she was alone, she waited for the other horse to come back. I was pretty worried about the other horse, because in the long stretch, she tried hard to catch us. Red Carpet Ready is a spectacular filly. She always tries really hard.”

Red Carpet Ready opened her account a 10-length winner in the local slop on a “Stars of Tomorrow” card last October, and doubled up in the following month's Fern Creek S. She saw out seven-eighths no problem to take Gulfstream's GIII Forward Gal S. Feb. 4, but could only manage third at 11-10 in the Mar. 4 GII Davona Dale over a one-turn mile behind huge longshot Dorth Vader (Girvin).

Winning conditioner Rusty Arnold added, “She wants to sprint and she loves it here. We're going to regroup and keep to sprinting. Luis rode her great. He took it to [Munnys Gold] and she was ready.”

Friday, Churchill Downs
EIGHT BELLES S. PRESENTED BY SYSCO-GII, $500,000,
Churchill Downs, 5-5, 3yo, f, 7f, 1:22.28, ft.
1–RED CARPET READY, 120, f, 3, by Oscar Performance
          1st Dam: Wild Silk, by Street Sense
          2nd Dam: Spun Silk, by A.P. Indy
          3rd Dam: Spunoutacontrol, by Wild Again
($180,000 Ylg '21 FTSAUG; $100,000 RNA 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Ashbrook Farm and Upland Flats Racing; B-Lynn B. Schiff (KY); T-George R. Arnold, II; J-Luis Saez. $303,800. Lifetime Record: 5-4-0-1, $588,670. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Munnys Gold, 118, f, 3, Munnings–Haraawa, by Medaglia d'Oro. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($92,000 Wlg '20 FTKNOV; $300,000 Ylg '21 FTKJUL). O-Robert E. and Lawana L. Low; B-Nicksar Farms (FL); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $98,000.
3–Accede, 118, f, 3, Into Mischief–Jibboom, by Mizzen Mast. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Juddmonte Farms Inc (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $49,000.
Margins: HD, 1 3/4, 2. Odds: 5.72, 0.41, 8.43.
Also Ran: Condensation, Olivia Twist, Sabra Tuff, Grand Love.
Scratched: Effortlesslyelgant, Positano Sunset.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:

Red Carpet Ready is one of two graded winners and stakes winners from the first crop of talented turfer Oscar Performance (Kitten's Joy). Street Sense is the broodmare sire of a dozen graded/group winners worldwide. His one highest-level winner to date is Roaring Lion, by Oscar Performance's sire Kitten's Joy.

Red Carpet Ready is out of a half-sister to GISW sprinter Joking (Distorted Humor) and from the deep female family of Tale of the Cat, Fed Biz, et al.

Unraced Wild Silk, purchased for $70,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale, has a 2-year-old full-sister to Red Carpet Ready and yearling full-brother. The filly was a $65,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale acquisition by Deuce Greathouse's Pura Vida and has since been named Bougie Not Basic. Wild Silk produced a Not This Time filly Mar. 23.

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