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Medina Spirit Emerges With Narrow Victory In Robert B. Lewis Stakes

In a gutty gate to wire performance, Medina Spirit fought off all challengers to take Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes by a neck and thus stamped himself a top tier Derby hopeful for Bob Baffert. Owned by Zedan Racing Stables, Inc. and ridden by Abel Cedillo, Medina Spirit got 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.26 over a Santa Anita main track listed as “good” due to recent rains that deposited 2.4 inches of rain through noon on Friday.

Sent to the lead while head and head with Parnelli and Wipe the Slate into the clubhouse turn, Medina Spirit was pressed up the backside by Wipe the Slate, who was three quarters of length back three furlongs out. With a length advantage at the top of the stretch, Medina Spirit drifted out a bit and was immediately engaged by Hot Rod Charlie and Roman Centurian in a thrilling three-horse battle to the wire. Baffert's other entrant, Spielberg, finished fourth.

The top four finishers earned 10-4-2-1 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby.

Updated Kentucky Derby leaderboard

“He's a very game horse,” said Cedillo, who collected his third win on the day and who has now ridden the Florida-bred colt by Protonico in all three of his races. “At the quarter pole, I didn't know, but he looked around and when he saw those horses, he kept going. He didn't get tired at all. On the gallop out (after the wire), he was by himself.”

A close second to highly regarded stablemate Life is Good going one mile in the G3 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita on Jan. 2, Medina Spirit was heavily backed as the even-money favorite in a field of six sophomores and paid $4.00, $2.80 and $2.20.

“That reminded me a little bit of Silver Charm (1997 Kentucky Derby winner),” said Baffert, who rung up his record ninth Lewis win today. “He had every reason to give it up late in the stretch (when) those horses came to him. I thought he was beat. I thought they were going to get by and he wouldn't let them by, he fought on.

“…We just have to keep him healthy. It's a really tiring track, he went real fast early, but he showed that he had the qualities there. It's nice to win the Robert B. Lewis because it means so much to me. I would have liked my other horse (fourth place finisher Spielberg) to run better than he did, but those things happen.”

A first-out maiden winner going 5 ½ furlongs at Los Alamitos Dec. 11, Medina Spirit, who is out of the Brilliant Speed mare Mongolian Changa, was sold for just $35,000 at public auction last July after being purchased for $1,000 as a yearling – both sales at Ocala Breeders' Sales Company. With today's winnings of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $95,200 from three starts.

Trained by Simon Callaghan, Roman Centurian, an impressive 1 1/16 mile maiden winner on Jan. 3, was last early and rallied resolutely while caught five wide turning for home to best Hot Rod Charlie by a nose for second money. Off at 11-1 with Juan Hernandez, Roman Centurian paid $7.60 and $3.80.

A close second in the Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 6, Doug O'Neill's Hot Rod Charlie ran huge off the bench, finishing 11 lengths clear of Spielberg. Ridden by Joel Rosario, Hot Rod Charlie was the second choice at 5-2 and paid $2.60 to show.

Fractions on the race, all set by the winner, were 22.89, 46.61, 1:12.36 and 1:39.34.

Named in honor of the late Thoroughbred owner and philanthropist Robert B. Lewis, who along with his wife Beverly, owned two Kentucky Derby winners, Silver Charm in 1997 and Charismatic in 1999, the Lewis winner receives 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points, with four to second, two to third and one point to the fourth place finisher.

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Holy Bull: Brisset Hoping Tarantino Is The Real Deal, Greatest Honour Will ‘Run All Day’

In just three races, Tarantino has shown the promise of a future turf star, but his connections are hoping that the Triple Crown will be in the future of the son of Pioneerof the Nile following Saturday's $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Tarantino, who is a nose away from being undefeated, is scheduled to make his debut on dirt in the 1 1/16-mile race for 3-year-olds on the Road to the Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n Dale at Xalapa.

“He's been breezing well enough on the dirt. He's not a show-er in the morning, but I'm lucky enough where I can get on him myself. We felt that his works are good enough where we can give him a try,” trainer Rodolphe Brisset said. “Like I say, he's not a show-er but he does enough where we feel comfortable giving him a try and finding out, sooner than later, if he wants the dirt or not.”

Tarantino began his career for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert in Southern California, where he captured his career debut Sept. 20 at Del Mar and came back to finish second by a nose in the Oct 4 Zuma Beach Stakes at Santa Anita – both races at a mile on turf – before being transferred to Brisset.

“It took him a couple weeks to get used to our routine. It's a little bit different than what Bob Baffert had,” said Brisset, whose trainee has had a series of four workouts at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, for his dirt debut. “He was breezing pretty well for a while and then in his last work before we ran him at Gulfstream, he went a half on dirt in 48 (seconds) out in 1:12-and-change.”

A decision was made that Tarantino would run in a Dec. 11 optional claiming allowance scheduled for a mile on turf at Gulfstream, rain or shine. The Kentucky-bred colt closely stalked the pace before drawing away to victory.

“We did want to find out if he can run on the dirt, but the rain stopped and the race stayed on the grass,” Brisset said. “He won pretty nicely. He won by two, but I'm pretty sure we didn't go to the bottom of the horse.”

Tarantino's dam, Without Delay, registered her only victory on turf, but the daughter of Seeking the Gold did produce Before You Know It, a daughter of Hard Spun who earned more than $300,000 and was a stakes winner and a graded-stakes runner-up on dirt.

“It's better to find out now if we have a horse for the big one,” Brisset said. “If it doesn't work out, we know we have a horse for the grass. We know he has a lot of talent.”

Tarantino is owned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Racing LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC and Robert Masterson.

Edgard Zayas, who was aboard for Tarantino's victory at Gulfstream, has the return mount.

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey was dreaming of a bright future for Greatest Honour as he watched the 3-year-old son of Tapit school in the Gulfstream Park paddock and walking ring without turning a hair between races on Wednesday.

“He's developed a lot. I was just sitting there thinking if he goes through the winter and spring and keep going in that direction, he can be good,” McGaughey said.

Saturday's $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park is in Greatest Honour's immediate future.

Greatest Honour finished a late-closing third while sprinting in his first two starts, before stretching out two turns at Aqueduct Nov. 8 to finish second, beaten by just a head by Known Agenda, who went on to finish third in the Remsen (G2). The Courtlandt Farms homebred broke through to graduate, closing from seventh to win going away in a 1 1/16-mile maiden test at Gulfstream Dec. 26.

“The farther, the better for him. I think he can run all day,” McGaughey said. “He's got enough of a kick that if he gets a little pace, he can challenge here.”

McGaughey's also confident that the more experience he gets, the better Greatest Honour will be.

“He's a Tapit, so we had to work around some things, but he's really good now,” said McGaughey, who named Jose Ortiz to ride Greatest Honour.

McGaughey will seek to add the Holy Bull to the extensive list of achievements on his Hall of Fame resume that includes victories in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and Florida Derby (G1) with Orb in 2014. Orb went on to give McGaughey his first Kentucky Derby success.

“Their running styles are similar – they both come from behind, but pedigree and looks-wise they're different. This horse is taller, while Orb was more compact,” McGaughey said.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. views Saturday's $200,000 Holy Bull (G3) at Gulfstream Park as the ideal test of Awesome Jerry's qualifications for continuing on the Road to the Florida Derby (G1).

“If he's ever going to get two turns it will be here,” said Joseph of the 1 1/16-mile headliner on Saturday's 12-race program with five graded stakes. “It's kind to horses with speed like himself and there's a short wire. I think it's a good spot to try.”

The Holy Bull will be Awesome Gerry's first try around two turns…on a conventional one-mile track. The son of Liam's Map wrapped up his juvenile campaign with a close second in the seven-furlong Jean Lafitte Stakes around the two turns of the 'bullring' at Delta Downs.

Racing with blinkers for the first time, Awesome Gerry showed the way into the stretch before finishing third, 2 ¾ lengths behind victorious Mutasaabeq and 8 ½ lengths ahead of the fourth-place finisher.

“The last time he ran a mile I thought he handled the distance. He stayed on after he was passed,” Joseph said. “We're going to give him another go at it. He's training very well. I think he's going to run a bang-up race.”

Awesome Gerry won the first two races of his career at Gulfstream and Gulfstream West before hitting the road to finish fourth in the Nyquist at Keeneland and second in the Jean Lafitte.

Awesome Gerry is scheduled to wear blinkers again Saturday.

“I worked him with blinkers again, and he relaxed much better. I think he's going to run a good race,” said Joseph, who named Tyler Gaffalione to ride the colt owned by John Fanelli, Cash is King LLC and LC Racing LLC.

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Weekend Lineup: Derby Points On The Line In Holy Bull, Bob Lewis

Throughout the year, the NTRA will provide a guide to the best stakes races in North America and beyond. Races are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern). Full previews when available can be found through the link for each race.

A pair of Kentucky Derby qualifying races are on tap this weekend. The 1 1/16-miles, Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes will headline a 12-race program at Gulfstream Park with five graded stakes worth $600,000 in purses while Santa Anita Park hosts the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes. Both preps offer qualifying points for the 147th Derby on May 1 to the top four finishers on a 10-4-2-1 scale.

The Holy Bull and the Robert B. Lewis will both be televised on TVG as part of their usual coast-to-coast coverage. In addition to racing from Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita, TVG will be featuring racing from Oaklawn Park, Fair Grounds, Aqueduct and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

The NYRA-produced “America's Day at the Races” program is back in full swing, slated to broadcast races from Aqueduct, Oaklawn Park, and other tracks. Presented by America's Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, the show will run on FS1 and FS2 Jan. 30 and Jan. 31.

Saturday, Jan. 30

1:10 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Kitten's Joy Stakes at Gulfstream Park on TVG

Turf stakes winners Kentucky Pharoah, unbeaten since being moved to the grass last month, and Never Surprised, undefeated in his only two starts last fall, will provide an intriguing matchup when they square off in Saturday's $100,000 Kitten's Joy. Calumet Farm homebred Kentucky Pharoah made his first two starts on dirt in Kentucky, finishing off the board in a pair of maiden special weights behind Mandaloun, a next-out winner that ran third in the Grade 3 Lecomte on Jan. 16, and Caddo River, winner of the Smarty Jones Jan. 22. Never Surprised hasn't raced since opening his career with back-to-back starts 20 days apart in November on the Aqueduct turf. After winning a six-furlong maiden special weight in 1:09.19, he came back with a front-running 1 ¾-length score in the Central Park.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP013021USA4-EQB.html

1:50 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 3 Toboggan Stakes at Aqueduct on FS2

Graded stakes action kicks off at Aqueduct Racetrack for 2021 with a field of five assembling for Saturday's 128th running of the Toboggan for 4-year-olds and upward going seven furlongs over the main track. Trained by Rudy Rodriguez for owner Michael Dubb, the 8-year-old Pete's Play Call was claimed for $62,500 out of a winning effort in an optional-claiming sprint on Nov. 27 at the Big A. He made first start for new connections a winning one when capturing the 6 1/2-furlong Gravesend last out on Jan. 2 at Aqueduct.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/AQU013021USA4-EQB.html

2:10 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Swale Stakes at Gulfstream Park on TVG

Slam Dunk Racing's Drain the Clock will make his graded-stakes debut in the Swale Stakes for connections who are hoping to keep things short and sweet. Although also nominated to the Holy Bull, the 1 1/16-miles Florida Derby prep, Drain the Clock will seek to remain undefeated in South Florida in the seven-furlong undercard feature for 3-year-olds. Drain the Clock captured his Sept. 12 debut in a five-furlong off-the-turn maiden special weight race at Gulfstream before winning a first-level optional claiming allowance at six furlongs at Gulfstream Park West Oct. 28.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP013021USA6-EQB.html

3:46 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream Park on TVG

John Minchello's Competitive Speed, a bargain $5,000 juvenile purchase turned stakes winner in less than a year, will put her three-race win streak on the line when she tries graded company for the first time in Saturday's $100,000 Forward Gal. Competitive Speed debuted in the slop at Gulfstream Park West in October, finishing sixth in a six-furlong maiden special weight, but hasn't lost since. She graduated by 1 ½ lengths in a 6 ½-furlong maiden claimer at Gulfstream West less than two weeks after her unveiling and made her Gulfstream debut Dec. 6, coming from off the pace to take a starter optional claimer by 4 ½ lengths before stepping up to stakes company in the 6 ½-furlong Glitter Woman Jan. 2.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP013021USA9-EQB.html

4:18 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Sweetest Chant Stakes at Gulfstream Park on TVG

Con Lima, who stepped up and stretched out to become a stakes winner last month, goes after a third straight victory in Saturday's $100,000 Sweetest Chant. Con Lima comes from the barn of Todd Pletcher, who also trained her sire, 2014 Florida Derby winner Constitution. Already, Con Lima has six races under her belt with three wins and three seconds. Her first four starts came on dirt, including a pair of runner-up finishes in the P.G. Johnson at Saratoga and Our Dear Peggy at Gulfstream in September, both of which were rained off the grass.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP013021USA10-EQB.html

4:50 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 3 Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park on TVG

WinStar Farm LLC and CHC Inc.'s Prime Factor and Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's Amount are scheduled to bring a combined total of two races of experience into Saturday's $200,000 Holy Bull Stakes. Jumping from maiden special weight company into a graded-stakes may be a lot to ask of lightly raced 3-year-olds, but their trainer, Todd Pletcher, has a history of success with late-developing colts during the winter months at Gulfstream. Prime Factor debuted at Gulfstream Dec. 12 with a stunning 8 ¼-length victory, running six furlongs in 1:10.38 while drawing away powerfully after closely stalking the early pace. Amount overcame bumping at the starts of his Dec. 26 debut, rallying from off the pace to score by 5 ¾ lengths, completing seven furlongs in 1:24.68.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/GP013021USA11-EQB.html

5:33 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

The Richard Baltas-trained Idol, Richard Mandella's Tizamagician and Florida invader King Guillermo head a compact field of five older horses in Saturday's San Pasqual Stakes. Idol was attentive to the pace en route to a close second place finish in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes on Dec. 26 and will once again get the services of eastern-based Gabriel Saez on Saturday. With an overall mark of 13-3-5-0, Tizamagician comes off an outstanding second condition allowance win on Jan. 2, a race in which he led throughout and took by a half length. Although he'll be facing a graded stakes winner in King Guillermo, Tizamagician has the advantage of a sharp recent win over the track as he once again runs out of his own stall for Mandella.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA013021USA5-EQB.html

6:37 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

Although Bob Baffert will be packing a heavy one-two punch with Spielberg and Medina Spirit, Saturday's Robert B. Lewis Stakes has attracted a very competitive field of eight sophomores, with no clear-cut standout. Spielberg comes off a gutty nose victory at the same distance in the Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity on Dec. 19, which was his sixth career start. The win no doubt took on added luster when the runner-up, Doug O'Neill's The Great One, came back to demolish a field of maidens by 14 lengths this past Saturday.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA013021USA7-EQB.html

Sunday, Jan. 31

6:32 p.m.—$300,000 Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic at Sam Houston Race Park on TVG

Defending race winner Lady Apple headlines the ninth running of the Ladies Classic, contested at 1 1/16-miles on the main track. The 5-year-old daughter of Curlin is trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Steve Asmussen and has won six of her 18 starts with earnings of $1,045,984. One year ago, Lady Apple closed gamely to defeating a contentious field which included 2019 Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress and Street Band. Her third place finish in last month's Spanky Broussard at Fair Grounds served as a solid prep for her return to Sam Houston Race Park, where she will break from post position four.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/HOU013121USA8-EQB.html

7:07 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 3 John B. Connally Turf Cup Stakes at Sam Houston Race Park on TVG

Trainer Mike Maker has won seven of the past nine editions of the John B. Connally Turf Cup and has three turf specialists set to compete in Sunday's test. One of his prospects this year, Three Diamonds Farm's Marzo, ran third in last year's edition of the race before running in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer at Saratoga. Sired by Medaglia D' Oro, Marzo has won four races and $310,000 to date. He will break from post six with Albin Jimenez in the saddle.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/HOU013121USA9-EQB.html

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TVG’s Weekend Coverage Features Derby Preps From Gulfstream, Santa Anita

The road to the Kentucky Derby will run through both California and Gulfstream Park this weekend as two early Kentucky Derby prep races – the $200,000 Holy Bull Stakes (G3) from Gulfstream Park and the $100,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) from Santa Anita – highlight TVG's weekend coverage.

Todd Schrupp, Gabby Gaudet and Joaquin Jaime will be live from Gulfstream Park with expert analysis and exclusive interviews throughout Saturday's twelve-race card which features five graded stakes races. The $200,000 Holy Bull Stakes will offer offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby qualifying points to the top four finishers. The race has drawn a field of nine sophomores including Tarantino, winner of an allowance race at Gulfstream in December for trainer Rodolphe Brisset. Edgard Zayas has the mount on the son of Pioneerof the Nile. His rivals include a pair of impressive maiden winners stepping up to stakes company for trainer Todd Pletcher – Amount with Luis Saez aboard and Prime Factor with Irad Ortiz, Jr. in the irons.

Santa Anita has a pair of graded stakes races on the schedule for Saturday and TVG's Christina Blacker, Mike Joyce and Scott Hazelton will be live from the track with interviews, insights and selections throughout the card. Kentucky Derby points will be on the line in the $100,000 Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) which will offer 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Derby points to the top four finishers. Trainer Bob Baffert, who won this race in 2020 with Thousand Words, will saddle two of the eight contenders including Spielberg, winner of the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) in December. Flavien Prat will be aboard the son of Union Rags.

In addition to racing from Gulfstream Park and Santa Anita, TVG will be featuring racing from Oaklawn Park, Fair Grounds, Aqueduct and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

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