road to the kentucky oaks | Horse Racing Free Tips

Brody’s Cause Filly Kalypso Proves Best As Santa Ynez Favorite

In a performance befitting her short odds, Bob Baffert's Kalypso showed good early speed and took command turning for home en route to a facile 1 ¾-length victory in Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Ridden for the first time by Joel Rosario, Kalypso got seven furlongs in 1:23.42 and provided Baffert with his record sixth win in the Santa Ynez, an early prep for both the Grade 2 Santa Anita Oaks and the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks.

Breaking from the far outside in a field of six sophomore fillies, Kalypso – from the first crop by Spendthrift Farm stallion Brody's Cause – enjoyed an early neck advantage on longshot Brilliant Cut, who broke from the rail. Heading up the backside, these two were head and head with Kalypso obviously well within herself. Turning for home, Kalypso asserted her dominance and she went on to a most impressive win as much the best.

“She broke good and put me right into the race, in a good position,” said Rosario, who notched his third stakes win through five days of racing. “I'm just happy to be on her. She was the best horse and she'll be better going longer distances.”

Most recently a close second going a mile and one sixteenth in the G1 Starlet at Los Alamitos Dec. 5, Kalypso was off as the 4-5 favorite and paid $3.80, $2.80 and $2.20.

“She has natural speed and she's a really fast filly,” said Baffert, who scratched morning line favorite Varda earlier but still ran three fillies. “She had the lead for a long time in the (Starlet), backing up it's a big difference to go seven eighths. The way she broke today, she was in a good spot and she was really training well coming into this race…

“I would try her long again, as they get older, they are maturing. You can slow her down a little bit, like today she was pretty relaxed. She wasn't too rank where she went real fast but we'll just see how (she) comes out of it.”

Owned by David A. Bernsen, LLC, Rockingham Ranch and Chad Littlefield, Kalyspo picks up 10 qualifying points to the Kentucky Oaks on April 30 and with her first graded stakes win, is now 5-2-2-1. With the winner's share of $120,000, she increased her earnings to $245,600.

Updated Kentucky Oaks points leaderboard

Ridden by Mike Smith, Frosteria rallied four-wide from well off the pace to outrun Brilliant Cut by 1 ½ lengths. The second choice at 7-2, Frosteria, a Godolphin homebred also trained by Baffert, paid $3.60 and $2.80.

Off at 30-1 with Ricky Gonzalez, the Doug O'Neill-trained Brilliant Cut finished 3 ½ lengths clear of Queengol and paid $5.80 to show.

Runner-up Frosteria picked up four Kentucky Oaks qualifying points, while Brilliant Cut got two and Queengol, one.

Baffert, who won last year's Santa Ynez with Bast, entered today's proceedings tied with D. Wayne Lukas with five lifetime wins in the race, which was run for the 70^th time today.

Fractions on the race were 22.53, 45.13 and 1:10.18.

Live racing returns with first post time for a nine-race card on Friday at 12:30 p.m. All of Santa Anita's races are available free of charge at santaanita.com/live and fans can watch and wager via 1^st.com/Bet.

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Weekend Lineup: 2021 Preps For Kentucky Derby, Oaks Get Under Way

One year ago, an Into Mischief colt with just a maiden victory to his credit began his march toward glory in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby and, eventually, the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic and a likely Horse of the Year title. The colt, Authentic, scored by 7 3/4 lengths in the G3 Sham Stakes as the 6-5 favorite for trainer Bob Baffert.

This year, another son of the Spendthrift Farm stallion trained by Baffert will make his sophomore debut in Saturday's Sham as an even heavier favorite. Life Is Good, who scored in his debut on Nov. 22 at Del Mar by 9 1/2 lengths, was made the 2-5 favorite as he faces four others (including a stablemate) in the one-mile Sham, a race that will be worth 10-4-2-1 qualifying points for the Kentucky Derby to the top four finishers.

Santa Anita will also be offering a qualifying points race for the Kentucky Oaks in Sunday's G2 Santa Ynez Stakes for newly turned 3-year-old fillies. Baffert holds the aces there, with four of the seven runners entered from his stable.

Here's a brief look at the weekend's graded stakes (all times Eastern):

Friday, Jan. 1

6:32 p.m. – $200,000 Joe Hernandez Stakes at Santa Anita

The new 6 1/2-furlong turf chute gets used in this G2 sprint for older runners and this race looks wide open with trainer Peter Miller and Doug O'Neill each having a formidable duo. Miller starts defending Hernandez winner Texas Wedge (when the race was at 5 1/2 furllongs) and recent Churchill Downs $62,500 claim Hembree, a turf veteran with seven lifetime wins from 39 starts. O'Neill has Blitzkrieg, winner of the G3 American at a mile, and the always dangerous Wildman Jack. Don't overlook John Sadler-trained Chaos Theory, who usually comes flying late.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA010121USA7-EQB.html

Saturday, Jan. 2

6:35 p.m. – $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes at Santa Anita

Count Again showed a strong stretch kick winning the G2 Seabiscuit Handicap at Del Mar Nov. 29 in his Southern California debut for Phil D'Amato after a solid season north of the border for trainer Gail Cox at Woodbine, where he won the G2 Singspiel. Longshot players might like Cleopatra's Strike, a close second in this race in both 2019 and 2020 when trained by D'Amato. The 8-year-old Smart Strike gelding was claimed for $62,500 last out by trainer Bob Hess Jr., who gives the mount to the comebacking Hall of Fame rider Kent Desormeaux.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA010221USA7-EQB.html

7:05 p.m. – $100,000 Sham Stakes at Santa Anita

The Into Mischief colt Life Is Good earned a 91 Beyer Speed Figure in his debut at Del Mar going 6 1/2 furlongs, putting him head and shoulders in that category above his four rivals in here. But this race goes around two turns, and until a horse tries stretching out, you never know whether they can get the added distance.John Shirreffs-trained Parnelli does have two-turn experience and appears to have the bet upset chance.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA010221USA8-EQB.html

Sunday, Jan. 3

7:00 p.m. – $200,000 Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita

One of four Baffert entries, Kalypso was overtaken in deep stretch by stablemate Varda last out in the G1 Starlet at Los Alamitos after inheriting the lead when a third Baffert runner, heavy favorite Princess Noor, was suddenly pulled up. Kalypso set the pace that day and drops back to seven furlongs here, a distance the Brody's Cause filly might prefer. Kentucky Oaks points (10-4-2-1) to the top four finishers.

https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA010321USA8-EQB.html

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Road To The Kentucky Oaks: Streaking Malathaat Headlines Aqueduct’s Demoiselle

Shadwell Stable's Malathaat, undefeated in two starts for trainer Todd Pletcher, will look to make the grade in Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Demoiselle, a nine-furlong test for juvenile fillies on the main track at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The Demoiselle, which offers 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-four finishers, is part of a lucrative card headlined by the 32nd renewal of the Grade 1, $250,000 Cigar Mile for 3-year-olds and up and also includes the Grade 2, $150,000 Remsen at nine furlongs for juveniles and the Grade 3, $100,000 Go for Wand Handicap for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up at one mile on the main track.

Live coverage of Cigar Mile Day will be available with America's Day at the Races on FS2 from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Eastern and on MSG+ from 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Free Equibase-provided past performances will be available for races that are part of the America's Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

By Curlin and out of the Pletcher-trained Dreaming of Julia, who captured the 2012 Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont Park, Malathaat boasts a golden pedigree that saw the filly purchased for $1.05 million at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

The precocious bay, bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, drew off to a 1 3/4-length score when sprinting seven furlongs in her Oct. 9 debut at Belmont Park and followed last out with a 7 3/4-length win in the Tempted at one-mile on the Big A main track.

Pletcher said the added distance on Saturday shouldn't hamper Malathaat.

“You would think with her pedigree and the way she won going a mile that a stretch out should not be an issue,” said Pletcher. “She's always trained like a quality filly that wants two turns, so we're excited about stretching her out. This filly has been a star from day one basically.”

Hall of Famer John Velazquez, aboard for the debut score which secured the rider his 2,000th win at Belmont, has the call from the inside post.

Pletcher will also send out Repole Stable's Traffic Lane, who graduated last out in a 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight on Nov. 15 on the Big A turf. Kendrick Carmouche will guide the Outwork filly from post 2.

Juddmonte Farms' homebred Millefeuille, by Curlin and out of the War Front mare Bandana, just missed at first asking, running second on Sept. 26 in a one-turn mile at Belmont. The second time out worked a treat for the talented bay, when she posted a four-length win at the same distance on Oct. 23 on Big Sandy.

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said nine furlongs will suit his improving filly.

“She's doing good. It seems like a good distance for her,” said Mott.

The Kentucky-bred is a direct descendant of prolific Juddmonte broodmare Toussaud, who produced 2003 Belmont Stakes winner and champion producing stallion Empire Maker, as well as Grade 1 winners Chester House, Chiselling and Honest Lady, who is the granddam of Millefeuille.

Joel Rosario retains the mount from post 3.

Allen Stable's Cafe Society, an Ontario-bred daughter of Empire Maker, was purchased for $475,000 at the OBS Spring Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. She won by 3 1/2-lengths in her Oct. 18 debut when sprinting six furlongs at Belmont for Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey.

Last out, Cafe Society chased the pace in the Tempted en route to a third-place effort, 10 1/4-lengths in arrears of Malathaat.

Cafe Society worked a half-mile in 49.03 seconds Sunday on the Belmont main track. McGaughey said he is expecting an improved effort.

“I was disappointed in her last race, but she's come back and trained well,” said McGaughey. “She had a really good breeze and galloped out well, so hopefully we'll see a little better performance than we did the last time. I couldn't have asked for any more.”

Jose Ortiz, aboard for the debut win, will guide Cafe Society from post 6.

Richard Greeley's Caramocha, bred in New York by Chester and Mary Broman, graduated by 4 1/4-lengths on debut in a six-furlong sprint against fellow state-breds on Nov. 7 at the Big A when sent to post at odds of 99-1.

Trained by Mitchell Friedman, Caramocha was a $100,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale. Her second dam, Indy Glory, produced the multiple Grade 1-winning New York-bred Artemis Agrotera.

Caramocha will make her stakes debut from post 7 under Dylan Davis.

Rounding out the field are Woodslane Farm's Malibu Curl [post 4, Junior Alvarado], Brereton C. Jones homebred Dollar Mountain [post 5, Jose Lezcano] and Designated Hitters Racing's Celestial Cheetah [post 8, Manny Franco].

The Demoiselle is slated as Race 9 on Saturday's 10-race card, which will feature a mandatory payout of the Empire 6. First post is 11:30 a.m. Eastern.

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Starlet, Futurity Highlight Winter Thoroughbred Meet At Los Alamitos

The Los Angeles County Fair Winter Thoroughbred meet at Los Alamitos in Cypress, Calif. will begin Friday, Dec. 4.

Racing will be conducted Friday-Sunday (Dec. 4-6) this week and is scheduled for Thursday-Sunday (Dec. 10-13 and 17-20) the final two weeks. Post time will be 1 p.m on weekdays and 12:30 p.m. on weekends.

The LACF Winter meet will be highlighted by a pair of graded events for 2-year-olds – the Grade 1, $300,000-guaranteed Starlet for fillies Saturday, Dec. 5 and the Grade 2, $200,000-guaranteed Los Alamitos Futurity Saturday, Dec. 19.

The Starlet is one of the races on the “Road to the Kentucky Oaks'' with the winner receiving 10 points towards a berth in the Kentucky Oaks April 30, 2021 at Churchill Downs.

Among the leading candidates for the Starlet are Astute, winner of her last two starts for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, and Princess Noor, who suffered her first career loss in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies after three wins, including successes in two Grade 1 events – the Del Mar Debutante and Chandelier at Santa Anita. Princess Noor is trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who will be seeking his fourth consecutive Starlet win after victories by Dream Tree (2017), Chasing Yesterday (2018) and Bast (2019).

The Futurity is one of the events on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby.'' The winner earns 10 points towards a spot in the Kentucky Derby May 1, 2021.

Among the nominees to the Futurity are Classier, an impressive debut winner for Baffert Oct. 24, Del Mar Futurity runner-up Spielberg, Best Pal Stakes winner Weston and Hot Rod Charlie, second behind Essential Quality in the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Nov. 6 at Keeneland.

Baffert has won all six renewals of the Futurity – Dortmund (2014), Mor Spirit (2015), Mastery (2016), McKinzie (2017), Improbable (2018) and Thousand Words (2019) – since the race was moved to Los Alamitos from Hollywood Park.

Baffert has won the Futurity, which was run in Inglewood from 1981-2013, a record 12 times.

Both the Futurity and the Starlet will be run at 1 1/16 miles.

The LACF Winter meet will also feature one other graded stakes – the Grade 3, $100,000 Bayakoa. Restricted to fillies and mares (3-year-olds & up) at 1 1/16 miles, the Bayakoa will be run Sunday, Dec. 6.

Completing the stakes program are a pair of one-mile races for 2-year-olds bred or sired in California – the $100,000-guaranteed Soviet Problem for fillies and the $100,000-guaranteed King Glorious.

The Soviet Problem will be run Saturday, Dec. 12 while the King Glorious will be offered Sunday, Dec. 20.

Live racing will continue to be run with no spectators and only essential personnel allowed inside the facility to conduct the program.

The wagering menu includes the Pick Six – with the traditional 70/30 split and no jackpot provision – a pair of $1 Pick 4's – races 2-5 and the final four races – as well as the popular Players' Pick 5 – a 50-cent minimum wager with a reduced 14% takeout rate which is offered on the first five races.

Entries – which were taken Tuesday for the opening day program – were strong. A total of 85 horses were entered in eight races.

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