santa anita | Horse Racing Free Tips

Pasadena a Walk in the Park for Nyquist’s Johannes

Bet like he couldn't lose, Johannes strolled home much the best while making his two-turn bow in the Pasadena S. at Santa Anita Sunday. Taken in hand out of the gate, the heavy favorite settled at the back of the compact four-horse field heading into the backstretch. He rolled up four wide to challenge the pacesetters into the lane, pounced to the lead at midstretch and powered clear under a hand ride for an effortless victory.

“It's onward and upward,” said winning trainer Tim Yakteen. “It was a small field, but I think it was a great stepping stone for us to validate that we can two-turn. I'll get together with [owner/breeder] Joe [McCloskey] and come up with a game plan and see if we can have some fun. Very nice. We are very happy.”

Johannes graduated by an emphatic nine lengths while trying turf for the first time at Santa Anita last December and jumped up to stakes company with a late-closing win down the hill at Santa Anita in the Mar. 5 Baffle S.

“The thing that made me believe he could run a mile, was last time going down the hill, he was so relaxed out of the gate, and he was kind of push button,” said winning rider Umberto Rispoli. “It was a little messy going down the hill. Unfortunately, I couldn't have the spot I wanted, so I had to wait until the sixteenth of a mile and he was much the best in that race, and he proved that again today.

“I think he is just starting to understand the game. Today, he came out of the gate like, “What am I going to do?' and as soon as I put him in behind horses, he switched off and from there it was just a matter of letting him run. My hands got itchy around the turn and finally I was happy to let him run. I don't think we've seen the best of him.”

Johannes is the first foal out of stakes-placed Cuyathy, who was purchased by McCloskey for $50,000 out of the 2014 Keeneland September sale. The mare has a 2-year-old filly by Mastery, a yearling filly by Gun Runner and produced a filly by Knicks Go this year. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

PASADENA S., $98,000, Santa Anita, 4-2, 3yo, 1mT, 1:33.79, fm.
1–JOHANNES, 120, c, 3, by Nyquist
                1st Dam: Cuyathy (SP, $107,923), by Congrats
                2nd Dam: Dance Darling, by Devil's Bag
                3rd Dam: Danzig Darling, by Danzig
O/B-Cuyathy, LLC (KY); T-Tim Yakteen; J-Umberto Rispoli.
$60,000. Lifetime Record: 6-3-0-1, $170,059.
2–Game Time, 120, c, 3, Not This Time–Confession, by Broken
Vow. ($290,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Hronis Racing LLC;
B-Dermot Joyce (KY); T-John W. Sadler. $20,000.
3–Wizard of Westwood, 120, c, 3, Tu Brutus (Chi)–Figrare, by
Purge. ($20,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Andrew & Rania Warren;
B-Pope McLean (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. $12,000.
Margins: 3HF, 3/4, 7HF. Odds: 0.30, 2.80, 5.70.
Also Ran: Keen to Go. Scratched: Mucino.

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Santa Anita Derby Contenders Have Final Works

Multiple contenders pointed to Saturday's GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby had their final works Sunday including the top three finishers from last month's GII San Felipe S.

Practical Move (Practical Joke), winner of the San Felipe March 4, drilled five furlongs in 1:01.20 for trainer Tim Yakteen. Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}), who was second the San Felipe, worked five furlongs in company in :59.4 for Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella.

“We're all set,” Mandella said following the work.

Skinner (Curlin), who was third in the San Felipe, worked five furlongs in :59.2 seconds under Hall of Famer Victor Espinoza for John Shirreffs.

“He was just cruising,” Espinoza said. “He's ready now.”

Also working Sunday was National Treasure (Quality Road), scratched as the morning-line favorite for the San Felipe, who went six furlongs in 1:12.6.

Japanese import Mandarin Hero (Shanghai Bobby) will work for the first time Monday with Kazushi Kimura in the irons. Mandarin Hero arrived at Santa Anita on Friday and his traveling party indicated he has taken well to his new surroundings.

Saturday's GII Santa Anita Oaks could have up to a field of eight including Faiza (Girvin) and And Tell Me Nolies (Arrogate), the top-two finishers in the GIII Santa Ysabel March 5.

Faiza completed her final preparations on Saturday with a six-furlong work in 1:12.60 for trainer Bob Baffert while And Tell Me Nolies also had her final tune-up on Saturday with a five-furlong work in 1:01.80.

Clearly Unhinged (Bernardini), a front-running 3 1/4-length maiden winner Feb. 5, worked a bullet on Saturday when going five furlongs in :59.60 seconds for the Oaks. It was the fastest of 53 moves at the distance.

Princess Bettina (Will Take Charge) is also targeting the Oaks with an easy half mile move in :49.20 seconds.

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Seven-Figure Medaglia d’Oro Colt Earns ‘Rising Star’ Honors

Having finished a distant fourth on his Del Mar debut last August behind the likes of 'TDN Rising Star' and future dual Grade I winner Cave Rock (Arrogate) and subsequent multiple Grade II victor Practical Move (Practical Joke), Red Barons Barn and Rancho Temescal's Ultimate Gamble (Medaglia d'Oro) made his much anticipated 3-year-old debut in a one-mile maiden at Santa Anita Saturday afternoon. Pounded down to 70 cents on the dollar, the athletic dark bay colt was ridden in supremely confident fashion by Frankie Dettori and ran out an easy 2 1/4-length winner to earn 'Rising Star' honors of his own.

A half-brother to Eclipse Award and GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Drefong (Gio Ponti), MGISW, $1,538,385–now siring Classic winners in Japan–Ultimate Gamble was given a trio of six-furlong breezes leading into this comeback effort, suggesting that he prefers a trip considerably longer than his half-brother. Content to take a hold and let a few of his rivals to go on with it, Dettori allowed his mount to find his feet and settled him in third position and wide around the first turn, remaining in no particular hurry to move towards the lead down the backstretch.

Methodically drawing to within striking distance by the time the field hit the second bend, Ultimate Gamble was nursed along and leveled up three wide at the quarter pole, with Dettori taking a look back to see 4-year-old Palagio (Practical Joke) looking dangerous wider out. Asked to meet that challenge, Ultimate Gamble swapped his leads on cue, carried a two-length advantage into the final furlong and stayed on strongly for the victory, then galloped out a ton into the clubhouse turn while receiving a congratulatory pat from his Italian pilot. The winner covered his final two furlongs in a slick :24.52.

Bred by Machmer Hall, who acquired Eltimaas for $77,000 in foal to Mizzen Mast at the 2013 Keeneland November Sale, Ultimate Gamble first changed hands for $325,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September Sale and went on to achieve the second-highest price at last year's OBS April Sale when hammering for $1.75 million (under-tack breeze). That was not the first time the progeny of the mare lit up the tote in Ocala, as Sui (Candy Ride {Arg}) fetched $675,000 at the 2019 March Sale, while Order of Magnitude (Curlin) made $425,000 at the 2021 April Sale.

Eltimaas, a half-sister to champion and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile hero Action This Day (Kris S.), is also the dam of a 2-year-old Curlin filly that was sent to Japan after selling for $525,000 at KEESEP last fall

4th-Santa Anita, $67,000, Msw, 4-1, 3, 4,/5yo, 1m, 1:36.68, ft, 2 1/4 lengths.
ULTIMATE GAMBLE, c, 3, by Medaglia d'Oro
1st Dam: Eltimaas, by Ghostzapper
2nd Dam: Najecam, by Trempolino
3rd Dam: Sue Warner, by *Forli
Sales history: $325,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $1,750,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-0, $45,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Click for the free Equineline catalog-style pedigree.
O-Red Baron's Barn LLC & Rancho Temescal LLC; B-Machmer Hall, Carrie & Craig Brogden (KY); T-Mark Glatt.

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Saturday Insights: OBS Grad Ultimate Gamble Rolls Into Santa Anita

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency

1st-GP, $84K, Msw, 3yof, 1mT, 11:30 p.m.
Gulfstream Park's packed Florida Derby Day card includes a pair of turf events for 3-year-old runners that are worth a look.

Hinkle Farms homebred OGEMA BAY (Medaglia d'Oro) debuts for Shug McGaughey with Luca Panici in the irons. Her dam Madame Du Lac (Lemon Drop Kid) produced two-time GI Woodford Reserve Turf Classic victor Divisidero (Kitten's Joy). Also prepped for a rookie start is GLORIA'S PRINCESS (Cairo Prince) from the stable of Brendan Walsh. Ridden by Luis Saez, the Harvey Clarke-owned filly is a half-sister to GISW Harvey's Lil Goil (American Pharoah).

First-timer and Godolphin homebred MAY FANE (Uncle Mo), who hails from a family that includes MGSW Frosted (Tapit), draws to the outside for Bill Mott with Irad Ortiz aboard. TJCIS PPS

6th-GP, $84K, Msw, 3yof, 1mT, 1:56 p.m.
THE ARCHANGEL (Medaglia d'Oro), a half-sister to Derby hero I'll Have Another (Flower Alley) and MGSW Golden Award (Medaglia d'Oro), is out of mare Arch's Girl Edith (Arch) who also produced Gloria S (Tapit), the dam of Race 1's Gloria's Princess. The first-time starter for trainer Roger Attfield will break from post nine with Shaun Bridgmohan in the irons. TJCIS PPS

4th-SA, $67K, Msw, 3-5yo, 1m, 5:31 p.m.
ULTIMATE GAMBLE (Medaglia d'Oro) flashed speed on debut as a juvenile at Del Mar Aug. 13, but ended up seventh in a vain attempt to catch MGISW Cave Rock (Arrogate) and MGSW Practical Move (Practical Joke) who will be seen next week in the GI Santa Anita Derby. Out of Eltimaas (Ghostzapper), the $1.75million '22 OBSAPR purchase by Red Baron's Barn or Rancho Temescal LLC. was back in-training after a break for Mark Glatt in the new year. This time around he will get the services of Frankie Dettori. The dark bay colt who initially went for $325,000 Ylg KEESEP to De Meric Sales has a yearling half-sister by Curlin that fetched $525,000 KEESEP last fall. TJCIS PPS

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