Robert LaPenta | Horse Racing Free Tips

Shantisara Wins Again, Gives Brown Another QE II Cup Victory

In her fourth American start, Shantisara (IRE) made it three wins in a row with her victory in the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky. Under jockey Flavien Prat, the 3-year-old filly stalked the pace through the far turn and then poured on the speed in the stretch to win by five lengths.

In the starting gate for the G1 stakes, with the field of ten lined up and ready to go, Lady Speightspeare acted up, necessitating all ten horses be backed out as the fractious filly required a veterinarian's examination before being allowed to continue. Lady Speightspeare was a late scratch, reducing the field to nine.

They broke cleanly from the Keeneland gate, with Chad Brown trainee Technical Analysis taking the lead over the yielding turf course. Prat settled Shantisara in fourth around the first turn, improving to third down the backstretch. Around the final turn, with Technical Analysis still the front runner, Shantisara angled three-wide to find a running lane for her stretch bid.

In the Keeneland straight, Shantisara took over the lead from Technical Analysis early, easily drawing away from the field in the last furlong. Technical Analysis held on for second, Burning Ambition third. Nicest was fourth, with Queen Goddess, Closing Remarks, Cloudy Dawn, Flippant, and Emperess Josephine rounding out the order of finish.

The victory is trainer Chad Brown's fourth in the G1 stakes. He has also won with Dayatthespa (2012), Rushing Fall (2018), and Cambier Parc (2019).

The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:48.86. Find this race's chart here.

Shantisara paid $7.00, $3.80, and $3.00. Technical Analysis paid $4.20 and $3.80. Burning Ambition paid $6.20.

“I expected her to run really well because (of) the way she breezed last time (5 furlongs in 1:03.40 over the turf at Keeneland a week earlier). She improves all the time. She's coming along. This filly, she has a really good talent. She handled the turf really well here,” Baldo Hernandez, assistant to Chad Brown, said after the race.

“It was a good run. I was really pleased with the draw (post 3), to be honest. I thought the good horses were around me, and I was able to keep tracking them. She made a really good move around the turn – she came really handy around the turn – and when I asked her to make a move she responded well,” Prat told the Keeneland Press Office after the G1 stakes. “She broke well and I was able to tuck her in right away and she switched off nice. I was traveling super and, like I said, when it was time to go, she was there for me.”

Bred in Ireland by Oliver Donlon, Shantisara is by Coulsty (IRE) out of the Dalakhani mare Kharana (IRE). The 3-year-old filly is owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables LLC, and Robert LaPenta. She was consigned by Aguiar Bloodstock and sold to agent Federico Barberini for $13,171 at the 2020 Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up Sale. With her win in the G2 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup, Shantisara has three wins in six starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of 9-5-2-0 and career earnings of $788,108.

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Shantisara Rallies In Stretch To Win Jockey Club Oaks At Belmont

Shantisara (IRE) sat just off fellow Chad Brown trainee Higher Truth throughout the 1 3/8-mile Jockey Club Oaks Invitational and rallied in the stretch to pass her stablemate and take the last leg of the Turf Triple at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

A last-out winner in the Grade 3 Pucker Up at Arlington Park, Shantisara with Flavien Prat broke cleanly and took up position on the outside of Higher Truth, content to sit a length back early. With early fractions of :25.51 for the first quarter of a mile and :51.70 for the half, Higher Truth ran easily on the front, looking to take the race gate to wire.

On the far turn, Shantisara pulled even with the leader, as Harajuku started her move on the hedge. While Harajuku looked for running room after trailing much of the race, the two Chad Brown fillies dueled down the Belmont stretch, with Shantisara able to dig in and take the lead in the race's final yards to win by a half-length. Higher Truth was second and Harajuku third.

The final time for the 1 3/8 miles was 2:16.91. Find this race's chart here.

Shantisara paid $11.40, $5.40, and $3.60. Higher Truth paid $3.20 and $2.20. Harajuku paid $2.80.

Bred in Ireland by Oliver Donlon, Shantisara is by Coulsty out of the Dalakhani mare Kharana. She is owned by Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Robert LaPenta. She was consigned by Aguiar Bloodstock and sold to Federico Barberini, agent, for $13,171 at the 2020 Tattersalls Guineas Breeze-Up Sale With her win in the Jockey Club Oaks, the 3-year-old filly has two wins in five starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of four wins in eight starts and career earnings of $488,108.

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Brown Pleased With Viadera Win In Ballston Spa, Points Jack Christopher To Champagne

Chad Brown saddled a pair of winners Saturday at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., with Viadera scoring in the $400,000 Grade 2 Ballston Spa and Jack Christopher impressing on debut to extend the four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer's meet-leading win total to 32 [eight more than Mike Maker and Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher] heading into Day 34 of the 40-day summer meet.

Juddmonte homebred Viadera, a 5-year-old daughter of Bated Breath, was one of three entrants in the six-horse field along with pacesetter Tamahere [4th] and Kalifornia Queen [3rd].

Tamahere set strong splits of :22.60, :47.55, and 1:12.12 on the firm inner turf as Viadera saved ground in third under Joel Rosario. Viadera advanced up the rail through the final turn and angled out in the stretch run to reel in her stablemate and hold off the late charge of High Opinion.

Viadera, who capped her 2020 with a first Grade 1 score in the Matriarch at Del Mar, entered Saturday's test from a troubled fourth in the De La Rose on August 8 at the Spa.

“She had so much trouble in her first start of the year here and I was proud of her to come back on short rest and still get it done,” Brown said.

Viadera is likely to target the $400,000 Grade 1 First Lady on October 9 at Keeneland.

Jim Bakker and Gerald Isbister's Jack Christopher earned a 92 Beyer for his winning debut in a six-furlong maiden special weight for juveniles, powering to an 8 3/4-length score as the even-money favorite.

The Munnings chestnut, a $135,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, exited post 5 in the seven-horse field under Jose Ortiz and settled in second position before taking command.

“I was very pleased. The word was out. He had worked well and he ran to his works, which is always a relief for a trainer,” Brown said.

Brown said Jack Christopher will point to the $500,000 Grade 1 Champagne on October 2 at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., a one-turn mile offering a “Win and You're In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile in November at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif.

Brown saddled Royal Flag and Dunbar Road to respective third and fourth-place finishes Saturday in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign presented by Lia Infiniti.

Royal Flag, a 5-year-old Candy Ride chestnut, entered from a score in the Grade 3 Shuvee on July 25 at the Spa, while Dunbar Road, a 5-year-old Quality Road bay, was looking to secure her first win since taking the Grade 2 Delaware Handicap last July.

While multiple Grade 1-winner Letruska won the nine-furlong test gate-to-wire, Royal Flag closed willingly to complete the trifecta, a head in front of Dunbar Road, who was forced in at the start under Flavien Prat, and had to rally six-wide down the lane.

“Dunbar Road had a bit of an unfortunate trip as she fell a little far out of it after missing the break and went quite wide,” Brown said. “Royal Flag had her normal trip that worked out just fine. I was proud of both of their efforts. A really great filly won the race.”

Peter Brant and Robert V. LaPenta's Miles D, a sophomore son of Curlin, garnered a career-best 100 Beyer for his third-place effort in the Grade 1 Runhappy Travers. The lightly-race Curlin chestnut, a $470,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, graduated at second asking in June at Belmont and followed with a strong runner-up effort to Dynamic One in the nine-furlong Curlin on July 30 at the Spa.

Brown said he was pleased with the effort.

“He's only run four times and he might be a little bit better at a mile and an eighth,” Brown said.

Brown also confirmed Klaravich Stables' Technical Analysis, last-out winner of the Grade 2 Lake Placid on August 21, will point to the $500,000 Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup on October 15 at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

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Curlin Colt Turns In ‘Jazzy’ Effort at Belmont

2nd-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 6-12, 3yo/up, 1m, 1:36.94, ft, 2 1/4 lengths.
MILES D (c, 3, Curlin–Sound the Trumpets, by Bernardini) made a single visit to the races last season, a well-bet and close-up fourth at Aqueduct Oct. 11, in an event that has turned out to be no ordinary maiden. Next-out 'TDN Rising Star' and Smarty Jones S. winner Caddo River (Hard Spun) was runner-up to Godophin's Speaker's Corner (Street Sense) and a half-length better than Greatest Honour (Tapit), who would go on to annex the GIII Holy Bull S. and GII Fountain of Youth S. ahead of a third in the GI Curlin Florida Derby. Behind Miles D that day were the sixth-placed Bourbonic (Bernardini), this year's GII Wood Memorial S. upsetter, as well as Original (Quality Road), last of the octet, but since Grade III-placed on the turf. The late money came for Miles D, who was sent off the 1.15-1 chalk in advance of 8-5 fellow second-timer Southern Flag (Union Rags), and proved spot on. Settled back on the fence as Absolute Courage (Into Mischief) set the pace from off the rail, Miles D was asked to come after that one at the quarter pole, stuck a neck in front a furlong from home and kicked on nicely to take it by 2 1/4 lengths. Absolute Courage boxed on gamely at the rail to claim second spot, a head better than Southern Courage, who was slowly into stride, raced three and four wide the trip and was forced to settle for third. Miles D is the first foal for his unraced dam, a half-sister to champion Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat) who was purchased with this colt in utero for $675,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale. Sound the Trumpets's 2-year-old son Trumpets Blare (Pioneerof the Nile) breezed three-eighths of a mile in :37.40 at the Skylight Training CenterSaturday morning and her most recent produce include a yearling Quality Road filly and a colt foal by Medaglia d'Oro. Miles D's third dam was the irrepressible Personal Ensign (Private Account), who was also responsible for Grade I winners Miner's Mark (Mr. Prospector) and Traditionally (Mr. Prospector) as well as MGSP Salute (Unbridled), whose produce include Lane's End stallion and GISW Mr Speaker (Pulpit), GSW Fire Away (War Front) and SW/GSP Vigilantes Way (Medaglia d'Oro). Miles D is bred on the same cross as GISW Paris Lights and other graded winners Point of Honor, Clairiere, 'TDN Rising Star' Spice Is Nice and Cezanne. Sales history: $470,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $53,280. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Peter M Brant & Robert V LaPenta; B-River Bend Farm (KY); T-Chad C Brown.

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