Tag: santa anita
‘We’ll See How Good She Is’: Moonlight d’Oro To Make Stakes Debut In Las Virgenes
Moonlight d'Oro makes her stakes debut in Saturday's Grade 3 Las Virgenes Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at one mile, a major steppingstone to the G2 Santa Anita Oaks on April 3 at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.
The bay Medaglia d'Oro filly owned by MyRacehorse and Spendthrift Farm LLC is coming off an impressive maiden win at one mile, sashaying home first by three lengths as the 9-10 favorite last Dec. 13 under Flavien Prat, who will be back up in the $200,000 Las Virgenes.
“We'll see how good she is,” said Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella, who won his first Las Virgenes in 1993 with Likeable Style ridden by Gary Stevens and his second in 2013 with champion Beholder under the late Garrett Gomez.
Moonlight d'Oro worked six furlongs Wednesday in a bullet 1:12.60.
Mandella said Border Town is likely for this Saturday's G3 Thunder Road at a mile on grass, while Extra Hope “is nominated in case it looks like rain and it ends up a dirt race.”
Border Town also is nominated to the San Marcos Stakes at 1 ¼ miles on grass which had been scheduled to be run Sunday but was moved back a week when nearly 2 ½ inches of rain inundated the area Friday.
The post ‘We’ll See How Good She Is’: Moonlight d’Oro To Make Stakes Debut In Las Virgenes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
D’Amato Has Trio Of Turf Runners Pointing To Feb. 6 San Marcos
Phil D'Amato has three horses nominated to next Saturday's Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at a mile and a quarter on turf at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif., and all are possible starters for the trainer who celebrates his 45th birthday March 11.
The three are Acclimate, Count Again and Salvator Mundi. Although they gained a week due to rain, each would be coming back on a relatively short turnaround, led by Acclimate, third as the 19-10 favorite in the Unusual Heat Turf Classic on Jan. 16.
Count Again disappointed at even money when eased in the G2 San Gabriel Stakes on Jan. 2, while Salvator Mundi was a creditable third in an overnight race on Jan. 8.
“They're all under consideration,” D'Amato said. Count Again won the G2 Seabiscuit at Del Mar last Nov. 28, but was eased as the even-money favorite in the San Gabriel after being just three lengths off the pace midway through the race.
“He took a funny step right at the top of the stretch and Juan (Hernandez) just kind of wrapped up on him to make sure he was all right. Luckily, he was.
“For sure I'll run Acclimate and Salvator Mundi. It's a rather quick comeback for Acclimate, but I had this race in the back of my mind for him. It was hard to pass up 200 grand ($200,000 purse) against Cal-breds (in the Unusual Heat Turf Classic presented by City National Bank at a mile and an eighth), but at the same he's coming back at a distance he prefers (in the San Marcos).
“I always had this race planned for him, if he came out of the Unusual Heat in good shape, and he really has, so we'll look to wheel him back going a mile and a quarter.”
Salvator Mundi, a 5-year-old son of outstanding turf miler and grass sire Artie Schiller, was claimed for $40,000 in September of 2019 at Keeneland and has won twice in seven starts for D'Amato since. The San Marcos would be only his third stakes race in 16 career starts.
“He's just kind of learning where he needs to be placed to be most effective,” D'Amato said of the bay gelding who stalked the pace before weakening to finish sixth in the G2 John Henry Turf Classic at a mile and a quarter last Sept. 26.
“I think he merits another chance at a mile and quarter for sure, the way he's come out of that race.”
This will be the 69th running of the San Marcos, won last year by LNJ Foxwoods' United, ridden by Flavien Prat and trained by Richard Mandella.
The post D’Amato Has Trio Of Turf Runners Pointing To Feb. 6 San Marcos appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
Express Train Breaks Through With San Pasqual Triumph At Santa Anita
C R K Stable's Express Train sat a perfect trip and rallied through the stretch to take Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes by 3 ¼ lengths, with his next stop scheduled to be the G1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 6. Trained by John Shirreffs and ridden by Juan Hernandez, Express Train got 1 1/8 miles over a Santa Anita main track listed as “good” in 1:52.13.
A close fourth, about two lengths off of Tizamagician around the clubhouse turn, Express Train saved ground at the rail, angled out a quarter mile from home and rallied three-deep through the lane while finding his best stride late in a very impressive effort.
“The difference was the distance (of) a mile and an eighth and different horses,” said Hernandez, who had ridden Express Train to a second place finish behind top rated Charlatan going seven furlongs in the G1 Malibu Stakes on Dec. 26. “He loves going short and going long, so you can do whatever you want with him, he's a really nice horse.
“…There were three horses that tried to go to the lead and my horse relaxed pretty well behind them. … I was just waiting to (get into) the stretch to let him run, that's what (he) did. Around the turn before the stretch, I checked, I went outside and I was clear and he started running again.”
The second choice at 5-2 in a field of five, Express Train paid $7.20, $3.60 and $2.20.
“We knew there was plenty of speed in the race and it worked out fine,” said Shirreffs. “Juan fits this horse very well, show me a horse that he doesn't fit. When you speak to him, he exudes confidence. He's a rider. We'll stay home and run in the Big 'Cap (1 ¼ miles on March 6).”
A 4-year-old colt by Union Rags, out of the Mineshaft mare I'm a Flake, Express Train notched his first stakes win in his eighth career start. With the winner's share of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $293,300 from an overall mark of 8-3-3-0.
Tizamagician, ridden by Drayden Van Dyke, proved extra game, holding off even money favorite Idol by a neck for the place. Off at 5-1, Tizamagician paid $5.00 and $2.60.
Idol, unhurried early while an attentive last to the far turn, never threatened for the win, finishing 1 ¼ lengths in front of longshot Zestful. Ridden by eastern-based Gabriel Saez, Idol paid $2.10 to show.
Although Saturday turned out to be a spectacularly sunny day with the snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains serving as a backdrop, the track took on 2.4 inches of rain through noon Friday, resulting in slower times throughout the afternoon.
Fractions on the San Pasqual were 23.84, 48.74, 1:13.70 and 1:39.26.
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