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Tapwater, McCarthy Duo Top Marathon Santa Barbara Lineup

LNJ Foxwoods' Tapwater heads a field of eight fillies and mares going a marathon mile and one half on turf in Saturday's Grade 3, $100,000 Santa Barbara Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, Tapwater will be making her second career graded stakes appearance.

Trainer Michael McCarthy's recent allowance winner Go Big Blue Nation will also be making her second stakes appearance and will command considerable attention with turf ace Umberto Rispoli aboard for the first time and McCarthy's Rideforthecause, a Grade 2 winner in Canada this past September, could also figure prominently as the leading money earner in the field.

A 5-year-old mare by Tapit, out of the Indian Charlie mare Fiji Moon, Tapwater was most recently fourth, beaten 3 ¼ lengths by highly respected Charmaine's Mia going one mile on turf in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes at Santa Anita on April 3. A sharp classified allowance winner going a mile on grass two starts back on Feb. 12 with Flavien Prat, she'll be reunited with the meet's leading man on Saturday and will be stretching out off of six consecutive races at one mile.

Tapwater, who will be making her third start of the year, brings an overall mark of 9-3-2-0 and earnings of $154,940.

Owned by Cannon Thoroughbreds, LLC, Go Big Blue Nation flew late under apprentice Alexis Centeno to win a second condition allowance on April 4 at a mile and one quarter on turf by a half length and will hope to employ similar tactics when ridden by Rispoli for the first time on Saturday. Claimed out of a maiden $75,000 win eight starts back on Jan. 12, 2020, Go Big Blue Nation, a 4-year-old filly by Animal Kingdom, earned a career best 87 Beyer Speed figure and rates a huge chance stretching out a quarter of a mile.

Trained in Canada by Gail Cox, Rideforthecause was an even sixth, beaten 2 ½ lengths by multiple graded stakes winner Mucho Unusual in her first start for McCarthy, the Grade 3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes at a mile one eighth on turf Dec. 27. Subsequently seventh, beaten seven lengths in an even effort by Charmaine's Mia in the Grade 2 Royal Heroine, Rideforthecause will be ridden for the second time in a row by Mario Gutierrez.

A winner of the Grade 2 Canadian at a mile and one eighth over the Woodbine turf four starts back on Sept. 12, Rideforthecause was subsequently fourth as the 5-2 favorite in Woodbine's Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes Oct. 18 and will hope to regain her Canadian form in the Santa Barbara.

Phil D'Amato's Carpe Vinum, a close third to Go Big Blue Nation April 4, pressed the pace and was fifth, beaten 3 ¼ lengths two starts back going a mile and one half on turf in the Grade 3 Astra Stakes Jan. 17 and thus rates a solid chance in what will be her third start of the meet. Owned by MyRacehorse and Joey Platts, Carpe Vinum, a 4-year-old daughter of Carpe Diem, will be ridden for the third consecutive time by Jose Valdivia, Jr.

GRADE III SANTA BARBARA STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS
IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 7 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

Catch the Eye—Kent Desormeaux—122
Rideforthecause—Mario Gutierrez—124
Tapwater—Flavien Prat—122
Carpe Vinum—Jose Valdivia, Jr.—122
Star of Africa—Abel Cedillo—122
Neige Blanche—Juan Hernandez—124
Go Big Blue Nation—Umberto Rispoli—122
Dynapower—Cesar Ortega—122

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

The post Tapwater, McCarthy Duo Top Marathon Santa Barbara Lineup appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Santa Anita Fall Meet to Offer 21 Stakes

A total of 21 added-money events, 12 at the graded level, have been scheduled for the autumn meeting at Santa Anita Park, set for Oct. 1-31.

Fully one-third of the stakes races serve as 'Win and You're In' races for the Breeders' Cup World Championships to be held Nov. 6 and 7 at Del Mar. The opening day of the meet features the GI American Pharoah S. for the 2-year-old males at a mile and a sixteenth, the corresponding 2-year-old filly race–the GI Chandelier S.–and the $100,000 Speakeasy S. for juvenile turf sprinters, each offering a fees-paid berth into the respective Breeders' Cup races. Thee GII Eddie S. is also set for opening day.

The Saturday, Oct. 2 card is highlighted by a pair of Grade Is–the Awesome Again S. for older handicap males long on the dirt; and the Rodeo Drive S. for turf distaffers at 10 furlongs, each serving as Breeders' Cup qualifiers. The GII Santa Anita Sprint, also a 'Win and You're In' event, and the GII City of Hope Mile for sophomore turfers, take place Saturday.

Opening weekend concludes with the last of the Breeders' Cup races, the GII Zenyatta S. for fillies and mares on the main track; the Surfer Girl S. and Zuma Beach S. for 2-year-old fillies and males, respectively, on the turf; and the GIII Sherwood Chillingworth S. (formerly LA Woman S.) for older filly and mare sprinters.

The meet's other graded races, the GIII Autumn Miss S. for 3-year-old turf fillies, and the GII Twilight Derby, will be offered closing weekend Oct. 30 and 31.

The post Santa Anita Fall Meet to Offer 21 Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Seven Breeders’ Cup Win And You’re In Stakes Highlight Santa Anita Autumn Meet

Santa Anita's 2021 Autumn Meet, which opens on Friday, Oct. 1, will offer fans and horsemen a comprehensive stakes schedule comprised of 21 stakes through Oct. 31, and will be highlighted by seven Breeders' Cup 'Win And You're In' Challenge Series stakes on Oct. 1, 2, and 3.

Three Grade 1 stakes, the $300,000 American Pharoah for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles, the $300,000 Awesome Again for 3-year-olds and up at 1 1/8 miles, and the $300,000 Rodeo Drive for fillies and mares 3 and up at a mile and one quarter on turf, all figure prominently over the first two days as horsemen prepare for the two-day Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar on Nov. 5 and 6.

On opening day, Oct. 1, four stakes will be offered, three of them Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In' stakes – the American Pharoah, the Grade 2, $200,000 Chandelier Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at 1 1/16 miles, and the $100,000 Speakeasy Stakes for 2-year-olds at five furlongs on turf.

The Grade 2, $200,000 Eddie D Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 6 ½ furlongs on turf will also be run on Oct. 1.

On Saturday, Oct. 2, the Awesome Again and the Rodeo Drive will be complemented by the Grade 2, $200,000 Santa Anita Sprint, which is also a Breeders' Cup 'Win & You're In' qualifier, for 3-year-olds and up at six furlongs.

Additionally, the Grade 2, $200,000 City of Hope Mile (turf) will be run on Oct. 2.

On Sunday, Oct. 3, one additional 'Win & You're In' qualifier, the Grade 2 Zenyatta Stakes for fillies and mares three and up at 1 1/16 miles will be offered, as well as a pair of $200,000 stakes for 2-year-olds at one mile on turf, the Surfer Girl and the Zuma Beach.

The Grade 3, $100,000 Chillingworth Stakes for fillies and mares 3 and up at 6 ½ furlongs and the $75,000 Unzip Me Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at 6 ½ furlongs on turf round out a total of five stakes on Oct. 3.

A pair of graded stakes, the Grade 3, $100,000 Autumn Miss for 3-year-old fillies at one mile on turf and the Grade 2, $200,000 Twilight Derby for 3-year-olds at 1 1/8 miles on turf will be offered on closing weekend, Oct. 30 and 31.

Santa Anita's complete Autumn 2021 Stakes Schedule will be available later in the week at santaanita.com/horsemen. For additional information, please call the Santa Anita Racing Office at (626) 574-6352.

The post Seven Breeders’ Cup Win And You’re In Stakes Highlight Santa Anita Autumn Meet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Medina Spirit 20th Santa Anita Derby Runner To Win the Roses At Churchill Downs

Bob Baffert-trained Medina Spirit, upset winner of Saturday's Grade 1 Kentucky Derby with John Velazquez aboard, not only provided Baffert with his record seventh Derby win and Velazquez with his fourth, he also became the 20th horse to exit the G1 Santa Anita Derby and go on to win the Run for the Roses.

Second, beaten 4 ¼ lengths by Rock Your World as the 4-5 favorite going 1 1/8 miles in the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby April 3, Medina Spirit, a Florida-bred colt by Protonico, out of the Brilliant Speed mare Mongolian Changa, was purchased for just $35,000 out of the 2020 Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s July Two-Year-Olds and Horses of Racing Age Sale on the recommendation of Santa Anita-based private clocker and bloodstock agent Gary Young.

A gate to wire winner of the Derby by a half length, Medina Spirit, off at 12-1, returned $26.20 to win while covering a mile and one quarter in 2:01.02.

A first-out maiden winner going 5 ½ furlongs at Los Alamitos Dec. 11, Medina Spirit, who is owned by Zedan Racing Stables, demonstrated the gameness that has now enabled him to become a Kentucky Derby winner when running a close second to stablemate and early Derby favorite Life Is Good in the G3 Sham Stakes at one mile at Santa Anita on Jan. 2.

A subsequent neck winner of the G3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on Jan. 30, Baffert stayed home with Medina Spirit in the G2 San Felipe Stakes March 6 and he finished a well beaten second to Life Is Good.

Although Baffert downplayed Medina's Spirit's chances leading into Saturday's Derby, he and Velazquez made the decision to let the colt roll on the front-end, instead of trying to ration his speed as was done when he was beaten 4 ½ lengths by Rock Your World in the Santa Anita Derby.

“I was counting on his heart,” said Baffert early Sunday morning from Louisville. “He shipped well. He had to run his A-game and he brought it. He sort of ran the same race he ran in the Robert Lewis. He fought everybody off in the Lewis and did the same thing yesterday. It was unbelievable, a great feeling, because I'm used to going in there with the heavyweights, the favorites and all that.”

Young, who was also reached early Sunday in Louisville, touched upon the Derby-winning strategy.

“There wasn't much speed inside of him,” Young said. “Plan A was to go to the lead, and the horse I feared most in the race (Rock Your World), got eliminated at the start…Medina has a lot of ability, but what takes him to the next level is his heart. He never let a horse get in front of him yesterday, not even on the gallop-out.”

Private clocker and bloodstock agent Gary Young

Although John Sadler-trained Rock Your World finished a disappointing 17th after a rough start, Doug O'Neill-conditioned Hot Rod Charlie finished third, beaten one length under the Santa Anita meet's leading rider Flavien Prat, making for a 1-3 finish for Santa Anita-based runners.

Dating back to O'Neill's I'll Have Another in 2012, an amazing seven out of the last 10 Kentucky Derbies have now been won by Southern California-based horses and Baffert, who has now won four out of the last seven runnings, added Medina Spirit to a Kentucky Derby trophy case that already included Silver Charm (1997); Real Quiet (1998); War Emblem (2002); American Pharoah (2015); Justify (2018) and Authentic (2020).

In becoming the 20th horse to use the Santa Anita Derby as a prelude to glory at Churchill Downs, Medina Spirit joins an illustrious roster of local Derby alumni: Gallahadion (13^th, 1940); Hill Gail (1^st, 1952); Determine (1^st, 1954); Swaps (1^st, 1955); Lucky Debonair (1^st, 1965); Majestic Prince (1^st, 1969); Affirmed (1^st, Triple Crown winner 1978); Gato Del Sol (4^th, 1982); Ferdinand (3^rd, 1986); Winning Colors (1^st, 1988); Sunday Silence (1^st, 1989); Silver Charm (2^nd, 1997); Real Quiet (2^nd, 1998); Charismatic (4^th, 1999); Giacomo (4^th, 2005); I'll Have Another (1^st, 2012); California Chrome (1^st, 2014); Justify (1^st, Triple Crown winner 2018); Authentic (2^nd, 2020) and Medina Spirit, second in this year's Santa Anita Derby.

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