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Graded Stakes Winner Multiplier Euthanized After Injuries Sustained In Tokyo City Cup

A Grade 3 winner with graded stakes placings on both dirt and turf, 7-year-old Multiplier had to be euthanized Monday due to injuries he sustained in the Sunday's G3 Tokyo City Cup at Santa Anita Park. According to the LA Times, the son of The Factor was at the rear of the five-horse field when appearing to struggle around the far turn, and was pulled up by jockey Ruben Fuentes. Diagnostics showed fractures in his right front ankle, which were later revealed to be worse than originally thought.

Multiplier's biggest win came for Brendan Walsh in the G3 Illinois Derby in 2017. After running off the board in both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes, Multiplier was moved to the West Coast with trainer Peter Miller. He finished third in the G2 Del Mar Handicap (turf) in 2018 and second in the G1 Santa Anita Handicap (dirt) in 2020.

Dropped in for a $50,000 tag in February of 2021, Multiplier was claimed by trainer Andrew Lerner on behalf of Biggleague Racing, LLC. The Tokyo City Cup was the gelding's third start off the claim.

Overall, Multiplier ran out a record of 4-6-4 from 37 career starts, earning just shy of $600,000 on the track.

Multiplier is the eighth racing or training death at Santa Anita since the racing season began Dec. 26, and the third during racing on the dirt course.

Tizamagician Will Try To Go One Better In Tokyo City Cup

Second in last year's renewal, Richard Mandella's talented Tizamagician heads Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 Tokyo City Cup at Santa Anita. To be contested at the marathon distance of a mile and one half, the Tokyo City has attracted a field of five older horses.

A close second early, Tizamagician tired to finish fifth, beaten four lengths in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap at a mile and one quarter on March 6. A solid second, beaten 3 ¼ lengths two starts back in the Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at a mile and one eighth Jan. 30, Tizamagician has been facing tough horses and rates top billing on Sunday.

With his most recent win coming in a mile and one sixteenth allowance three starts back on Jan. 2, Tizamagician tried front-running tactics in the Grade 3 Tokyo City Cup four starts back on Sept. 27, but had to settle for second money, finishing 7 ¼ lengths behind Cupid's Claws.

Owned by MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm, LLC, Tizamagician, a 4-year-old colt by Tiznow, will hope for clear sailing on the lead under leading man Flavien Prat, who will be aboard for the first time. With an overall mark of 15-3-6-0, Tizamagician has earnings of $227,851.

Although Tizamagician would benefit from an unchallenged early lead, that's unlikely, as the Mark Glatt-trained Zestful, ridden by front-running Edwin Maldonado, will no doubt be sent from the gate as he tries the marathon mile and one half for the first time.

Head and head throughout, Zestful came up a head short as the 9-5 favorite when second in a one mile starter allowance on April 3. Claimed 11 starts back for $40,000 on July 4, 2019 at Pleasanton, Zestful is battle tested at marathon distances, as he led early and finished second, beaten three quarters of a length, in the Grade II Marathon Stakes here at a mile and three quarters, eight starts back on Nov. 1, 2019.

A 6-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding by Ghostzapper, Zestful will be ridden for the sixth consecutive time by Maldonado, who coaxed a gate to wire allowance win out of him at a mile and one eighth on Nov. 20 at Del Mar.

In the money in 20 out of his 32 starts, Zestful, has 10 wins and one stakes win to his credit, a sixth length triumph going a mile and one quarter in a restricted stakes at Los Alamitos nine races back on Sept. 15, 2019. Out of the Smoke Glacken mare Sweet Relish, Zestful has career earnings of $327,092.

THE GRADE 3 TOKYO CITY CUP WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 3 of 9 Approximate post time 2 p.m. PT

Multiplier—Ruben Fuentes—124
Ronamo—Umberto Rispoli–120
Tizamagician—Flavien Prat—120
Lure Him In—Juan Hernandez–120
Zestful—Edwin Maldonado—122

First post time for a nine-race card on Sunday is at 1 p.m. For additional information, please visit santaanita.com or call (626) 574-RACE.

The post Tizamagician Will Try To Go One Better In Tokyo City Cup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Cal-Bred Brickyard Ride Tops Short Field In Kona Gold Stakes

Fresh off the best race of his career, the Craig Lewis-trained Brickyard Ride, along with Bob Baffert's multiple stakes winning Ax Man, head Sunday's Grade 3, $100,000 Kona Gold Stakes at Santa Anita. Named for the winner of the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Sprint and Eclipse Champion Sprinter of the year 2000, the Kona Gold has attracted four 3-year-olds and up going 6 ½ furlongs over the Santa Anita main track.

A 4-year-old California-bred colt by red-hot sire Clubhouse Ride, Brickyard Ride is owned by his breeder, Alfred Pais. A gate to wire winner of both the six furlong California Cup Sprint on Jan. 16 and the Grade 2 San Carlos Stakes going seven furlongs on March 6, Brickyard Ride has won four out of his last five starts since being paired with apprentice Alexis Centeno, dating back to a gate to wire allowance win going six furlongs here on Sept. 27.

“He's blessed with a lot of natural speed (and) obviously, he's learning how to relax,” said Lewis following the San Carlos, which was Brickyard Ride's first try in graded stakes competition. “He's maturing, he's a big powerful horse. He reached for (more) ground like a horse that could run forever. He's starting to look like he could be the goods.”

A four-length winner of the San Carlos, Brickyard Ride, the lone Cal-bred in the field, earned a career-best 100 Beyer Speed figure, which narrowly topped his Cal Cup Sprint Beyer of 99. Out of the Southern Image mare Brickyard Helen, Brickyard Ride, who cuts back in distance a sixteenth of a mile, will be bidding for his third consecutive stakes win and his eighth victory from 14 lifetime starts which have produced earnings of $380,277.

Ridden for the first time by Edwin Maldonado, the Hal and Patti Earnhardt homebred Ax Man went to the front and never looked back in an impressive 4 ½ length win in the ungraded Santana Mile on March 28.

“I was very confident turning for home,” said Maldonado, who is well respected for his ability to get the best out of front-running horses. “I gave him a couple reminders, but he knows what he's doing…Bob told me to put him on the lead and it's not like I don't like to be on the lead, right? The rest of it was very simple, put him on the lead and he did the rest.”

Although Ax Man, a 6-year-old Kentucky-bred gelding, is shortening up from a big effort going two turns, it can be expected that Maldonado will employ similar tactics, as conceding the early advantage to Brickyard Ride would likely be an ill-advised strategy.

A non-threatening fourth as the 3-1 favorite two starts back in the Grade 3 Palos Verdes Stakes at six furlongs on Jan. 23, Ax Man, who is out of the Flying Chevron mare Shameful, earned a 95 Beyer in winning the Santana Mile, his second career stakes win. With an overall mark of 16-7-0-3, he has earnings of $357,797.

THE GRADE 3 KONA GOLD WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 9 Approximate post time 4:30 p.m. PT

Cezanne—Flavien Prat—122
Fight On—Umberto Rispoli—124
Ax Man—Edwin Maldonado–124
Brickyard Ride—Alexis Centeno—126

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Runhappy Santa Anita Derby Card Produces High Handle Number

The card for the 84th GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby produced all-sources pari-mutuel handle of $24,282,400 Saturday. This was the largest Santa Anita Derby day handle since 2007. In addition, fans returned to the Arcadia oval on a restricted basis, with 8,246 on-track for the 12-race program. It was the first time in over a year that fans were allowed back at Santa Anita since the COVID-19 pandemic began last winter.

Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) saluted in the day's feature event, the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby for Hronis Racing and trainer John Sadler. Soothsay (Distorted Humor) gave trainer Richard Mandella his fourth GII Santa Anita Oaks for Claiborne Farm, Perry Bass II, Ramona Bass and Adele Dilschneider. Trainer Phil D'Amato leads in the trainers' standings with 29, one better than Bob Baffert. Flavien Prat holds a sizeable advantage in the jockeys' equivalent with 80 wins to 50 for Juan Hernandez.

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