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Malathaat and Maracuja Rematch in Alabama

Maracuja (Honor Code) put an end to 'TDN Rising Star' Malathaat's (Curlin) unbeaten record when they last met in Saratoga's GI CCA Oaks July 24. Now that GI Kentucky Oaks winner will try to turn the tables on that foe and return to winning ways as the even-money morning-line favorite in Saturday's prestigious GI Alabama S. going an additional furlong at the Spa.

A perfect three-for-three as a juvenile, capped by a victory in the GII Demoiselle S., Malathaat kicked off her sophomore campaign with a head success in Keeneland's GI Central Bank Ashland S. Apr. 3. The $1.05-million KEESEP acquisition rallied to a gritty victory in the Kentucky Oaks Apr. 30 and led every step of the way in the CCA Oaks before being worn down late by Maracuja to be second by a head.

“I'm hoping that we get on the outside and stay clear. Those other two fillies [Maracuja and Clairiere] just kept tag teaming her and she never had a chance to take a breath,” said Shadwell Stables' General Manager Rick Nichols. “I think the additional distance will be a benefit to her as well. Her pedigree certainly points towards that direction.”

Graduating at third asking at Aqueduct in February, Maracuja was second to GI Acorn S. winner and Oaks runner-up Search Results (Flatter) in the GIII Gazelle S. Apr. 3 and could only manage seventh in the Run for the Lillies. Dispatched at 14-1 in a four-horse field last time in the CCA Oaks, the gray was given an excellent ride from Ricardo Santana, Jr., overtaking the chalk just in time for a breakthrough score.

“When Kendrick [Carmouche] got off her the first time she won he said that he couldn't wait for us to stretch her out in distance. He knew right away,” trainer Rob Atras said. “You always hope for the best, but our goal was always to target the Coaching Club and the Alabama, so it's nice that things are coming together.”

Also exiting the CCA Oaks is regally bred, Grade II winner Clairiere (Curlin). Winner of the GII Rachel Alexandra S. in February, the Stonestreet homebred rallied to be second to Travel Column (Frosted) in the GII Fair Grounds Oaks a month later. Closing strongly to be fourth in the Kentucky Oaks, the daughter of MGISW Cavorting (Bernardini) was third in the GII Mother Goose S. at Belmont June 26 and loomed a brief threat before fading to third in the CCA Oaks.

Ken McPeek saddles a filly worth a look here at a bit of price in Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map). A decisive victress of the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks Mar. 27, she failed to fire when 10th on the Last Friday in April, but rebounded with a victory in the GII Summertime Oaks at Santa Anita May 30. The gray romped by six lengths last out as the heavy favorite in an underwhelming renewal of the GIII Delaware Oaks July 3.

Also worth consideration to fill out the superfecta is Army Wife (Declaration of War), who exits victories in the GII Black-Eyed Susan S. May 14 and GIII Iowa Oaks July 2.

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NYRA Trainer Orlando Noda Fined $5,000

According to a ruling released Wednesday, trainer Orlando Noda has been fined $5,000 by the New York stewards for “action detrimental to the best interest of racing.”

According to a report in the Daily Racing Form, which cited multiple sources, Noda was seen being overly aggressive with a horse during morning exercise recently in Saratoga.

When reached by the TDN, Noda declined to comment and referred questions to his attorney, Drew Mollica.

“The commission rendered a fine and the allegation is not clear to me yet,” Mollica said. “I am still investigating, but I have spoken to Mr. Noda and he vehemently denies any actions that could have caused such a sanction. We are in the fact-gathering stage right now and we will defend this vigorously. At no time did he ever do anything to suggests a sanction of this magnitude.”

Noda's lone runner on the Thursday card at Saratoga, A Colt Named Susie (Frost Giant), was scratched, but the DRF reported that had nothing to do with Noda's fine. Rather, the horse was scratched because no one from his stable was present when the track veterinarian showed up to administer Lasix.

The ruling cites three regulations that the stewards used to assess a fine, including Rule 4022.11, which states: “The stewards have power to regulate and control the conduct of all officials and of all owners, trainers, jockeys, grooms and other persons attendant on horses.”

Noda has been training only since 2019, a year in which he won 11 races. He is having the best year of his career this year, with 26 wins from 161 starters for a winning rate of 16%. He is 4-for-30 at the current Saratoga meet.

Wednesday's ruling was the first for Noda since 2019, when he was fined on two separate occasions for minor offenses.

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New York Race Track Chaplaincy Charity Basketball Game Canceled

The 13th annual jockeys-versus-horsemen charity basketball game, which benefits the programs of the New York Race Track Chaplaincy and was scheduled to be played on Wednesday, Sept. 1, has been canceled.

“With COVID-19 infection rates climbing again, we just couldn't jeopardize the safety of the participants or the hundreds of fans who come to the game each year, so we decided it was best to cancel it once again,” said NY Race Track Chaplaincy executive director and lead chaplain Humberto Chavez. “We are all disappointed but hopefully we can resume the tradition next summer during the Saratoga meet.”

The game, which was not able to be played last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is one of the most popular events on the Saratoga social calendar and it routinely attracts more than 300 fans.

The jockey team is usually coached by Hall of Fame jockey Ángel Cordero Jr., with trainer Todd Pletcher and agent Kiaran McLaughlin coaching the horsemen team. Mitch Levites of the NYRA television department serves as the announcer and provides lively commentary.

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Saratoga, Del Mar Team Up For All-Graded Stakes Cross Country Pick 5

The New York Racing Association Inc. (NYRA) will host a Cross Country Pick 5 featuring all graded stakes action from Saratoga and Del Mar. The sequence will include three Grade 1s and a pair of Grade 2 contests.

Free Equibase past performances for the Cross Country Pick 5 sequence are now available for download at https://www.nyra.com/saratoga/racing/cross-country-wagers.

Saratoga will host the first two legs of the sequence, starting with the Grade 2, $200,000 Lake Placid for 3-year-old fillies competing at 1 1/16 miles on the Mellon turf course in Race 9 at 5:39 p.m. Eastern. The Chad Brown-trained Technical Analysis will look to duplicate her effort from when she won the Grade 3 Lake George on July 23 over the Saratoga inner turf. Spanish Loveaffair, who faced top-flight competition last out in running eighth in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational in the opening leg of NYRA's Turf Triple series on July 10, will be sent out by Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. New York-bred Runaway Rumour won her first three starts for trainer Jorge Abreu, including an off-the-pace half-length victory in the Wild Applause in June at Belmont Park going one mile. After running fourth in the Lake George in her first run over the Saratoga grass, the Flintshire filly will return to the Spa.

The featured race at Saratoga, the Grade 1, $600,000 Alabama, will see Malathaat out for revenge against Maracuja after the latter's last-out win in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 24 at Saratoga. Malathaat was a hard-fought winner of the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on April 30 at Churchill Downs and captured the Grade 1 Ashland on April 3 at Keeneland. A victory in the Alabama would make Malathaat the fifth filly in the past decade to capture the Kentucky Oaks-Alabama double. For Maracuja, a win in the Alabama would make her the fifth horse in the last decade to score the CCA Oaks-Alabama double. Crazy Beautiful, the winner of the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Oaks on March 27, ran 10th in the Kentucky Oaks. But the Kenneth McPeek trainee rebounded to win the Grade 3 Summertime Oaks on May 30 at Santa Anita ahead of a six-length romp in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks on July 3 at Delaware Park.

Del Mar will host the concluding three legs, starting with the Grade 1, $300,000 Del Mar Oaks for 3-year-old fillies going 1 1/8 miles on the turf in Race 9 at 9 p.m. Eastern. The Brown-trained Fluffy Socks, the Lake George runner-up last month, will be returning to the track where she won the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante in November. Madone, a winner of 5-of-7 starts for trainer Simon Callaghan, enters from a rallying win in the Grade 2 San Clemente on July 24 at Del Mar. The Irish-bred Feathers, trained by Peter Miller, will make her graded stakes debut, while fellow Irish-bred Soaring Sky will make her North American debut for conditioner Jessica Harrington.

The Grade 1, $1 million Pacific Classic for 3-year-olds and up will be contested in Race 10 at 9:30 p.m. as a nine-horse field competes at 1 1/4 miles on the main track. Express Train, winner of the San Diego Handicap, was installed the 3-1 morning line favorite. The Union Rags colt, trained by John Shirreffs, has posted a 4-4-2 record in 12 career starts as he enters the “Win and You're In” qualifier to the Breeders' Cup Classic in November, also held at Del Mar. Royal Ship, trained by Hall of Famer Richard Mandella, has won six of his 14 starts with earnings of $293,305 and will have the services of Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith. Dr Post, the 2020 Grade 1 Belmont Stakes runner-up who last out won the Grade 3 Monmouth Cup for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher, will also look to make an impact shipping to the West Coast.

Concluding the Cross Country Pick 5 will be the Grade 2, $300,000 Del Mar Handicap in Race 11 at 10 p.m. The 11-horse field for 3-year-olds and up running at 1 3/8 miles on the turf will see Shirreffs send out Astronaut, second in the Grade 3 San Jan Capistrano, square off with the Brad Cox-trained Arklow, who won the Grade 2 Hollywood Turf Cup in November in his previous start at Del Mar.

The minimum bet for the multi-track, multi-race wager is 50 cents. Wagering on the Cross Country Pick 5 is also available on ADW platforms and at simulcast facilities across the country. Every week will feature a mandatory payout of the net pool.

The Cross Country Pick 5 will continue each Saturday throughout the year. For more information, visit NYRABets.com.

Cross Country Pick 5 – Saturday, August 21:
Leg A: Saratoga – Race 9, G2 Lake Placid (5:39 p.m.)
Leg B: Saratoga – Race 10, G1 Alabama (6:13 p.m.)
Leg C: Del Mar – Race 9, G1 Del Mar Oaks (9:00 p.m.)
Leg D: Del Mar – Race 10, G1 Pacific Classic (9:30 p.m.)
Leg E: Del Mar– Race 11, G2 Del Mar Handicap (10:00 p.m.)

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