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Going To Vegas Pointed To Rodeo Drive Stakes After John C. Mabee Win

Soon after Going to Vegas crossed under the finish line 2 ¼-lengths in front to win the $200,000 Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Ca., on Saturday, what seemed like a tsunami of humanity descended from the grandstand to engulf the winner's circle for the picture and trophy ceremonies.

It was estimated that around 250 people – owners or friends of owners of the three partnership groups involved with the 4-year-old daughter of Goldencents — whooped, hollered, and smiled for the camera.

Bing Bush, founder and manager of Abbondanza Racing, figured that his 14-member group accounted for about 50 of the crowd, Medallion Racing about four, and the rest from MyRacehorse, the micro-shares organization that has had a large impact on racing in a short time.

There was plenty of joy to go around, and Bush, a Del Mar resident, was still savoring it this morning when he checked in at trainer Richard Baltas' barn to get the good news that Going to Vegas had come out of the race fine.

The Mabee victory, her sixth in 21 career starts, fueled thoughts of a Breeders' Cup start at Del Mar, where Going to Vegas has two wins and has only been out of the money once in seven starts on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course.

“We can always dream and this made that dream seem a step closer to reality,” Bush said. “We're going to be aiming her for the Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita. I think she'll like the distance.”

The Rodeo Drive, on October 2, is 1 ¼ miles, an eighth of a mile longer than the John C. Mabee but a distance at which the 4-year-old daughter of Goldencents won the Santa Ana there in March and was second in the Santa Anita Oaks last December.

A victory in the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive carries with it a berth in the 1 3/8-mile, $2 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Del Mar on November 6. Otherwise, a six-figure supplemental entry fee would be necessary for Going to Vegas, who was not made Breeders' Cup eligible as a foal.

“To win here is so wonderful and to win the John Mabee Stakes, a man who was such an iconic figure here and such a major figure in the racing industry, is just great,” Bush said.

The post Going To Vegas Pointed To Rodeo Drive Stakes After John C. Mabee Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Mucho Unusual Gives Jockey Juan Hernandez First Grade 1 In Rodeo Drive

Scoring his third victory of the afternoon, jockey Juan Hernandez guided George Krikorian's homebred Mucho Unusual to the front after the opening quarter mile, then lulled the competition to sleep, taking Saturday's Breeders' Cup Win and You're In Rodeo Drive Stakes on turf by 1 1/4 lengths for his first career Grade 1 triumph.

The victory ensured Mucho Unusual a fees-paid spot in the starting gate for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland on Nov. 7.

Trained by Tim Yakteen, Mucho Unusual, a California-bred 4-year-old filly by Mucho Macho Man out of Not Unusual, by Unusual Heat, was winning for the fifth time in 16 career starts. This was her first G1 victory, her biggest previous win coming in the G2 San Clemente Stakes in 2019, when she also finished a close second in the G1 American Oaks.

Mucho Unusual paid $8.80 after covering 1 1/4 miles on firm turf in 2:00.19.

Maxim Rate finished second, with 7-5 favorite Lady Prancealot third, Tonahutu fourth and Pretty Point fifth in the field of six fillies and mares.

Tonahutu broke on top in the short run down the hillside turf course, but Hernandez put Mucho Unusual on the lead crossing the dirt and onto the main turf course. Mucho Unusual hung up fractions of :24.29, :49.52 and 1:14.07 for the first six furlongs, with Tonahutu and Maxim Rate her closest pursuers.

Approaching the stretch, after a mile in 1:37.28, Mucho Unusual still maintained an uncontested lead and she was never seriously threatened down the stretch as Lady Prancealot attempted to make a wide, belated bid from far back.

Mucho Unusual was coming off a half-length defeat when third in the Solana Beach Stakes at Del Mar, a race restricted to Cal-breds. Prior to that, Yakteen sent the filly to Keeneland, where she finished eighth in the G1 Jenny Wiley.

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Lady Prancealot, Bodhicitta Give Baltas Strong Hand In Rodeo Drive Stakes

Blessed with a pair of talented turf distaffers, trainer Richard Baltas has a big look at Saturday's Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., as his Lady Prancealot, a fast-closing second in her most recent start, has solid distance credentials, while his Bodhicitta is in top form although distance may be a question.

For fillies and mares three and up going a mile and one quarter on turf, Saturday's $300,000 Rodeo Drive Stakes has attracted a competitive field of seven fillies and mares.

A winner of the G1 American Oaks in her only try at the Rodeo Drive distance five starts back on Dec. 28, Lady Prancealot, a 4-year-old Irish-bred filly, is winless in four graded stakes this year, but she flew late to be beaten a diminishing neck at a mile and one eighth on turf Sept. 5 and merits top billing.

With Umberto Rispoli back aboard Lady Prancealot and Flavien Prat with Bodhicitta, these two ultra-talented reinsmen will most certainly renew their rivalry that resulted in Prat taking a 50-49 photo finish for leading rider honors at the recently concluded Del Mar meeting.

The Rodeo Drive is a Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Breeders' Cup Challenge Race qualifier, with the winner to receive a fees-paid berth into the G1 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Keeneland on Nov. 7.

LADY PRANCEALOT
Owner: Jerry McClanahan, Michael Iavarone, Parkland Thoughbreds, et al
Trainer: Richard Baltas

A winner of three graded stakes in 16 stateside starts for Baltas, she has been close in nearly all of her races while amassing earnings of $604,841 from an overall mark of 21-5-5-3. With turf master Rispoli back aboard, look for Irish-bred Lady Prancealot to be on the move the final eighth of a mile.

BODHICITTA
Owner: Calvin Nguyen
Trainer: Richard Baltas

A game nose winner of the G2 Yellow Ribbon Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf Aug. 8, this 4-year-old English-bred filly has won three out of her last four starts, all with Prat aboard. Second, beaten 1 ¼ lengths in the G1 Gamely Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf two starts back, she'll try a mile and one quarter for the first time in what will be her 16th career start. With four wins, as many seconds and one third place finish, she has earnings of $265,808.

MAXIM RATE
Owner: Slam Dunk Racing & James D. Branham
Trainer: Simon Callaghan

A winner of two consecutive turf routes at Del Mar, the most recent a neck victory in the CTT & TOC Stakes at 1 3/8 miles on Aug. 16, she brings a solid recent record to the Rodeo Drive party but she'll be facing tougher. Ridden by Rispoli in her last two starts, she'll get the services of eastern-based Luis Saez, as Rispoli appears to have opted for Lady Prancealot. A G3 winner going a mile on turf at age three, her mile and three eighths win on Aug. 16 lends added encouragement at the Rodeo Drive distance.

GRADE I RODEO DRIVE STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 7 of 11 Approximate post time 3:30 p.m. PT

1. Tonahutu—Abel Cedillo—122

2. Maxim Rate—Luis Saez—122

3. Bodhicitta—Flavien Prat—124

4. Mucho Unusual—Juan Hernandez—122

5. Pretty Point—Mike Smith—122

6. Lady Prancealot—Umberto Rispoli—126

7. Catch the Eye—Victor Espinoza—122

First post time for an 11-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. Although there is no public admittance, fans can follow a live video stream, free of charge, at santaanita.com

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