Saul Carrillo | Horse Racing Free Tips

Big Novel, At The Spa Headline Field For Friday’s Soviet Problem

Runner-up behind stablemate Big Switch in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies Nov. 5, Big Novel will stretch to a mile for the first time in the $100,000 Soviet Problem Stakes Friday at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Calif.

Restricted to 2-year-old fillies bred or sired in California, the Soviet Problem attracted nine entrants.

Part of the Golden State Series, the Soviet Problem is the last of eight races. Post time Friday is 12:30 p.m. Pacific. Scheduled post time for the main event is 4:28 p.m.

Owned by breeder George Krikorian and trained by John Sadler, Big Novel was more than six lengths clear of the rest of the field in the Golden State contest at seven furlongs.

A daughter of Mr. Big and the Heatseeker mare Steamy Novel, Big Novel hasn't been worse than third in her four races and has earned $95,850. She broke her maiden Oct. 2 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

At the Spa will try for her fourth win in five starts for a partnership that includes Tom Beckerle, Saul Carrillo, and breeder Terry Lovingier and trainer Jorge Periban. The Outwork filly out of the Smoke Glacken mare Spa Creek, who suffered her lone loss when last in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante Sept. 5, has banked $165,000 and has stakes victories in the Fasig Tipton Debutante and CTBA.

Four members of the Soviet Problem cast – Dendera, Girl Ranger, Professors' Pride, and Smilin Evie – are coming off wins.

Trained by Sadler for Cicero Farms LLC and breeder Batchelor Family Trust, Dendera was a neck winner as the prohibitive 1-5 favorite in an optional claimer going the Soviet Problem distance on turf Oct. 22.

The win for the Shaman Ghost filly out of the Scat Daddy mare Daddy's Due was her second in three races on grass. She was fifth of 10 in her debut in her lone try on dirt July 16. She's banked $83,200.

Dismissed at 35-1 in her Nov. 7 bow in a $50,000 maiden claimer for California breds, Girl Ranger rolled to a 5 ¼ length win for Marsha Naify and trainer Juan Carlos Lopez, but the daughter of U.S. Ranger is now in the stable of Michael McCarthy.

Out of the Bertrando mare Soul Flyer, Girl Ranger picked up $21,600 for the authoritative score.

Professors' Pride debuted with a one-length victory as the 8-5 second choice Nov. 14 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. The Bayern filly out of the Twirling Candy mare Last Resort earned $42,000 for the win for Academic Farms and trainer Eddie Truman.

Trained by Richard Baltas for Panic Stables LLC, Smilin Evie has been away since prevailing by 1 ¼ lengths in her initial try Oct. 24. The Tom's Tribute filly out of the Exchange Rate mare Lady Katfish collected $36,600 for the triumph.

Trainer Walther Solis entered both Madiha and Munny Penny.

Owned by Zahra Madiha, Amanda Navarro, and breeder Lovingier, Madiha is winless in five starts with earnings of $25,880. The daughter of Shaman Ghost and the Great Notion mare Very Few Details finished fifth in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies in her most recent outing.

Owned and bred by Lovingier, Munny Penny will be making her first start since finishing second behind At the Spa in the Fasig Tipton Debutante June 20. The Munnings filly out of the Animal Kingdom mare Northern Song has earned $72,460 while winning once in three races.

The field is completed by Rose Maddox, who was a neck behind Dendera when last seen Oct. 22. The Grazen filly out of the Unusual Heat mare has earned $36,000 for owner-breeder Nick Alexander and trainer Steve Miyadi. Rose Maddox was a first-out winner over the Tapeta surface at Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley, Calif., Sept. 11.

From inside out, the field for the Soviet Problem Stakes: Madiha, Kyle Frey, 117 pounds; Dendera, Flavien Prat, 120; Girl Ranger, Drayden Van Dyke, 120; Professors' Pride, Juan Hernandez, 120; At the Spa, Tyler Baze, 120; Smilin Evie, Ricardo Gonzalez, 120; Rose Maddox, Umberto Rispoli, 124; Munny Penny, Abel Cedillo, 120 and Big Novel, Joe Bravo, 120.

One race earlier, trainer Art Sherman will saddle the final starter of his career when Chasing Alchemy will try to break his maiden against seven other 2-year-old maidens in a $50,000 claimer at six furlongs.

Sherman, 84, who has spent more than 65 years in racing as an exercise rider, jockey, and trainer – which included conditioning two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome – will be honored on his retirement with a video presentation and winner's circle ceremony between races.

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Thirsty Always Springs Upset In Royal Owl Stakes At Los Alamitos

Thirsty Always upset heavily-favored stablemate Rock N Rye, leading throughout in the $75,000 Royal Owl Stakes, the closing day feature of the Los Angeles County Fair meet at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Calif.

In his first collaboration with jockey Abel Cedillo, the 2-year-old Stay Thirsty colt out of the Not for Love mare Angela's Love, quickly established command against his four opponents and went on to win by 1 ½ lengths in 1:03.28 for the 5 ½ furlongs.

The 5-1 third choice, he paid $13.00, $3.20, and $2.40. The victory was his third in five starts and pushed his earnings to $147,600 for owners Tom Beckerle, Saul Carrillo, and breeder Terry Lovingier, and trainer Walther Solis.

Rock N Rye, also trained by Solis – as was fifth-place finisher Mr. T's Thirsty – and bred by Lovingier, finished four lengths clear of 18-1 shot Drizella as the 2-5 favorite. He returned $2.20 and $2.10 while the show price on Drizella was $3.40. Carmen Miranda checked in fourth as the 3-1 second choice.

“I was telling (Lovingier) before the race I knew (Rock N Rye) was the favorite, but the way this colt had been acting lately I knew he would give (Rock N Rye) a run for his money,'' said Solis. “When he was able to make the lead, I thought he was gone. He gets brave when he's in front.''

Cedillo said his decision on strategy was made at the start.

“He broke so sharp and (Solis) told me that if he can make the lead to go on with him,'' said Cedillo. “I did and he responded.''

The stakes win was the second of the meet for Cedillo – he had taken the E.B. Johnston via disqualification with Loud Mouth Sept. 11. He wound up the meet's leading rider, giving him his second local title. He also led the standings during the 2020 LACF Winter season.

“It's been great,'' he said. “This is not an easy place to ride because the track is so different and the long stretch, but I got to ride a lot of good horses and they made me look good.''

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At the Spa Shakes Off Competition For Fasig-Tipton Debutante Win

A seven-length first-out maiden winner versus statebreds on May 7, Terry Lovingier's homebred At the Spa made it look easy in open company on Sunday at Santa Anita, as she dispatched of favored Laurel Canyon turning for home en route to a 2 ¼ length score in the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Debutante Stakes. Trained by Jorge Periban and ridden by Tyler Baze, At the Spa got five furlongs in :59.79.

With Laurel Canyon hustled from her rail post, At the Spa was immediately alongside as the two fillies raced as a team into the far turn. With Baze riding confidently, At the Spa shook loose of her competition a furlong out and proved much the best.

“Today, she had to fight it out a little bit and she prevailed,” said Baze, who also won the day's previous race aboard Restrainedvengence in the Grade 3 American Stakes. “She's matured so much from the first race, she's just getting better. It's going to be a bright future for her.”

Off as the second choice at 9-5 among a field of five juvenile fillies, At the Spa paid $5.80, $3.20, and $2.20.

“I really feel excited because this filly really is a big filly,” said Periban. “Since the beginning, I knew she had so much talent, a lot of ability. I told Baze, before she ran, 'I got something for you.' And he believed me because we're a good team. I had a lot of confidence, mucho. I can't say what it was, but it was something in my heart (that) said today's going to be another win.”

Breeder and co-owner Terry Lovingier was thrilled with At the Spa's performance. “It was so exciting watching them come down. Watching two babies that I bred draw off together was very cool. I wasn't sure if the gray filly was going to get to her or not.”

Owned by Lovingier, Tom Beckerle, and Saul Carrillo, At the Spa is by the Uncle Mo stallion Outwork and is out of the Smoke Glacken mare Spa Creek. With today's winner's share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $107,580.

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Munny Penny, who loomed ominously while third turning for home, was second-best on the day, finishing three-quarters of a length in front of Laurel Canyon. Off at 6-1, Munny Penny paid $4.80 and $2.60.

Laurel Canyon, a California-bred who broke her maiden at first asking at Gulfstream Park May 13, was ridden by Flavien Prat and paid $2.20 to show while off at odds of 8-5.

Fractions for the race were :22.17 for the first quarter and :46.40 for the half-mile.

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