Missed The Cut Possible for Dubai, America in 2023

Newmarket-based trainer George Boughey is mapping out a 2023 campaign for Royal Ascot winner Missed The Cut (Quality Road), which includes a potential trip to Dubai and possibly America.

“There's a chance that he could go to America,” Boughey said. “There's a race called the Santa Anita H. on Mar. 4, which is a Grade I on dirt. We'll see, but he's doing very well physically and I always said to [co-owner] Bill Farish and the guys at Lane's End that I didn't want to over-race him this year but I wanted to make him a stakes winner, which we have.”

Following Pontefract maiden and Salisbury novice wins, the 3-year-old captured the Golden Gates H. at the Royal Ascot meeting in June under New Zealand-born rider James McDonald. The Quality Road colt disappointed on his next appearance in the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano at Deauville, but bounced back to make a successful all-weather debut in last month's Listed Churchill S. at Lingfield.

“There's a lot of good horses that have flourished at four, he's still a big baby and all the options are open,” Boughey said. “He's on the list for Dubai and I think we've got to treat him like a good horse and all those top 10-furlong Grade 1s around the world next year will hopefully be where we're looking at.”

Another Boughey trainee set to have her passport stamped in the coming weeks is Perdika (GB) (Unfortunately {Ire}), who notched a fourth successive win in a Kempton nursery earlier this week. While All-Weather Championships Finals Day at Newcastle is an obvious target, the youngster is first bound for Meydan.

“She's probably going to go to Dubai for the winter,” Boughey added. “She could come back for Finals Day, but we'll see. She's already had enough qualifying runs to get her into the race on Finals Day if we wanted and a stiff six (furlongs) there [Newcastle] could suit her. She's due to fly to Dubai on the 29th of this month and can go for those 3-year-old fillies' races. I've never run her on turf, but she worked well on turf before she ran for us and I'd see her as a typical horse to take out there for the winter.”

 

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Freshman Sire Combatant Dies from Colic in Chile

First year stallion and 2020 G1 Santa Anita H. winner Combatant (Scat Daddy-Border Dispute, by Boundary) has died suddenly from colic in Chile. He had just begun Southern Hemisphere stud duties at Haras Porta Pia. Combatant stood his first year at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, NY.

Earner of over a million in his racing career, one which saw him annex the Big Cap and pick up minor honors in six other graded contests, Combatant was a $320,000 yearling purchase by Winchell Thoroughbreds at KEESEP in 2016. He placed in the GIII Southwest S. and GII Rebel S. before running fourth in the GI Arkansas Derby and 18th in that year's GI Kentucky Derby. He would go on to a third place effort in the GII Mathis Brothers Mile S. at Santa Anita before dropping back into allowance ranks and eventually selling after his final victory in November in the Asmussen barn.

Exchanging hands for $220,000 at KEENOV in 2019, going the way of David Ingordo as agent for Hronis Racing, he won the GI Santa Anita H. in just his second start for John Sadler, holding on gamely to turn away a late challenger. It would prove to be the last victory of his career before the stallion was retired to stud after six successive losses.

A Scat Daddy half to producer, GSW Long Lashes (Rock Hard Ten); GSP producer Mythical Border (Johannesburg); and stakes-placed Bordini (Bernardini), he was the most accomplished runner for his dam. He hailed from the extended female family of MGSW Conserve (Boundary), two-time Canadian Horse of the Year L'Enjoleur (Buckpasser), three-time Canadian champion racemare La Voyageuse (Tentam), MGSW Time Bandit (Time for a Change), and French Hwt. 2-year-old colt Holy Roman Emperor (Ire) (Danehill).

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Express Train On Top After Big ‘Cap Battle

EXPRESS TRAIN (h, 5, Union Rags–I'm a Flake, by Mineshaft) came out on top of a stretch-long duel after a wide journey in Saturday's GI Santa Anita H. to justify even-money favoritism and complete a clean sweep of the GII San Antonio S., GII San Pasqual S. and Big 'Cap. Lightly raced Warrant (Constitution) fought on gamely but came up a neck short. Stilleto Boy (Shackleford) picked up yet another Grade I placing. The final time was 2:03.22 for 10 panels. Sales History: $500,000 ylg '18 KEESEP. O-C R K Stable LLC. B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY). T-John A. Shirreffs.

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Richard Baltas Not Sitting On ‘Idol’ Ahead Of Breeders’ Cup Classic

Richard Baltas is counting down to the Breeders' Cup with Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap winner Idol for the Classic and Ginobili for the Dirt Mile, both at Del Mar on Nov. 6.

Idol is coming off a 16-length defeat by front-running Medina Spirit in the Awesome Again Stakes at Santa Anita on Oct. 3, a race in which he had a wide trip, while Ginobili drew away last out to win the G2 Pat O'Brien by nearly two lengths on Aug. 28.

Baltas is staunchly on record as saying Idol was in need of the Awesome Again Stakes, his first start in seven months, and that the 4-year-old Curlin colt is ideally suited for a mile and a quarter, the distance of both the Big 'Cap and the BC Classic.

“Idol came out of the race really good,” said Baltas, a 60-year-old native of Gary, Indiana. “I think the pace (in the Awesome Again) was kind of slow but he looks good, he's been galloping at Santa Anita and I'll probably breeze him before we ship to Del Mar.

“Ginobili is going in the Dirt Mile. He breezed (six furlongs) in 1:11 and three at San Luis Rey yesterday like nothing. We're pretty happy with him.”

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