Shahama | Horse Racing Free Tips

Taiba, Cyberknife Renew Rivalry in Pennsylvania Derby

Last seen fighting out a tight finish in the GI TVG.com Haskell Invitational S. in neighboring New Jersey in mid-July, 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner) and Cyberknife (Gun Runner) are the top two choices on the morning line for what appears a contentious renewal of the $1-million GI betPARX Pennsylvania Derby Saturday afternoon in suburban Philadelphia.

A veteran of just four starts, Taiba–a $1.7-million purchase by Zedan Racing Stables out of last year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale–took the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby at second asking, but the GI Kentucky Derby was perhaps too much, too soon, as the chestnut could do no better than 12th. Freshened for the Haskell, he made what appeared to be a winning move down the center of the track, but the rail-rallying Cyberknife spoiled the party. Trainer Bob Baffert, who won this race three times between 2014 and 2018, says it's all systems go this weekend.

“He likes to be in the clear, so that is good. He doesn't like being on the inside,” Baffert said of Taiba, who drew the eight hole and is the 5-2 favorite on the morning line. “I would rather be the five or the six, but this will be OK. Cyberknife is a tough horse; they are all good horses in here. Million-dollar races are not easy; they are not supposed to be easy. As always, you have to break. We had a little bit of a rough trip in the last one [Haskell]. I know he is doing well and we are all set.”

Cyberknife pressed on to the GI Runhappy Travers S., finishing better than five lengths behind divisional leader Epicenter (Not This Time) and narrowly ahead of Zandon (Upstart). He is one of two in the race for Brad Cox, who will also tighten the girth around GIII Ohio Derby hero and GII Jim Dandy S. third Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile). The 3-1 morning-line second pick, Cyberknife has post five, while Tawny Port drew gate seven.

“We've pointed Tawny Port for this race since the Jim Dandy,” Cox said. “Everything is going great with him. Once again, he's got to step up to prove that he belongs at this level. With Cyberknife, it wasn't a whole lot of, coming out of the Travers and 'we're going to go to Parx' way of thinking. I thought we might go straight to the Breeders' Cup. He had a really good breeze last weekend. Time-wise it wasn't anything crazy fast, but it's how he's doing, how he looks, how he's acting. This is one last swing at a Grade I around two turns for straight 3-year-olds.”

The filly counterpart, the GI Cotillion S., drew a field of nine headed by GI Longines Kentucky Oaks heroine Secret Oath (Arrogate). The competition includes the progressive 'TDN Rising Star' stablemates Shahama (Munnings) and Green Up (Upstart) and the Baffert-trained GIII Las Virgenes S. romper Adare Manor (Uncle Mo).

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Shahama Dominates Monmouth Oaks

Shahama stalked pacesetting favorite Juji's Map before exploding to the lead off the turn and sailing clear to her first U.S. victory in the GIII Monmouth Oaks Sunday on the Jersey Shore. Sent off at 8-5, the bay shadowed Juji's Map, the 4-5 favorite, through fractions of :24.67 and :48.71. Nudged at into the far turn, Shahama surged to the lead after three-quarters in 1:11.88 and bound away to an easy win.

“We thought Brad Cox's horse [Juju's Map] would be on the lead and we would be sitting second and that's just how it played out,” said Anthony Sciametta, assistant to winning trainer Todd Pletcher. “She's been training in New York and shipped down for this Saturday afternoon and did well and was well behaved. I know everyone who is around her likes her. She has a lot of class, as you can tell. I thought it was a two-horse race. You don't like to say that, but we thought it was between Juju's Map and us. Shahama was really good today.”

Winning jockey Jorge Vargas agreed the two favorites were the obvious class of the field.

“No disrespect to the others, but Shahama and Juju's Map were the classiest horses going in,” Vargas said. “I put my horse right on Juju's Map early. I was travelling good the whole time and I kept her just outside because Todd told me she doesn't like kickback from the dirt–she has a pretty face, she doesn't want to get that dirty. At the half-mile pole I picked it up with her. Paco Lopez tried to do the same, but didn't have as much horse as I did. By the three-eighths pole I was in front and it was over.”

Shahama had a productive winter in Dubai, where she won the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial and UAE 1000 Guineas in January and earned a spot in the GI Kentucky Oaks field with a win in the G3 UAE Oaks Feb. 18 for trainer Fawzi Nass. Transferred stateside to Pletcher's barn, she suffered her first loss when sixth in the Oaks and was coming off a runner-up effort in the June 25 GII Mother Goose S.

Pedigree Notes:

Shahama is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Kensei (Mr. Greeley) and to champion Lookin at Lucky (Smart Strike). The filly has a weanling half-brother by Catalina Cruiser who was purchased by Tami Bobo's First Finds for $200,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale. Her dam, Private Feeling, who was purchased by SF Bloodstock with the winner in utero for $40,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November sale, was bred back to Tom's d'Etat.

Under the winner's second dam, Regal Feeling, is champion Wait a While.

Sunday, Monmouth
MONMOUTH OAKS-GIII, $245,000, Monmouth, 7-31, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:41.54, ft.
1–SHAHAMA, 121, f, 3, by Munnings
                1st Dam: Private Feeling, by Belong to Me
                2nd Dam: Regal Feeling, by Clever Trick
                3rd Dam: Sharp Belle, by Native Charger
'TDN Rising Star'. ($425,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-KHK Racing;
B-SF Bloodstock LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Jorge A. Vargas,
Jr. $150,000. Lifetime Record: GSW-UAE, 7-5-1-0, $435,984.
*1/2 to Lookin At Lucky (Smart Strike), Ch. 3-year-old Colt, Ch.
2-year-old Colt, MGISW, $3,307,278; 1/2 to Kensei
(Mr. Greeley), MGSW, $751,364. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
   *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Shotgun Hottie, 119, f, 3, Gun Runner–Re Entry, by Malibu
Moon. ($45,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Omar Aldabbagh & Jeff
Ganje; B-Vincent Colbert (KY); T-William E. Morey. $50,000.
3–Juju's Map, 117, f, 3, Liam's Map–Nagambie, by Flatter.
($190,000 Ylg '20 KEEJAN; $300,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP).
O-Albaugh Family Stables LLC; B-Fred W. Hertrich (KY); T-Brad
Cox. $25,000.
Margins: 2HF, 3/4, 6 1/4. Odds: 1.70, 4.00, 0.90.
Also Ran: Runaway Wife, Office Etiquette. Scratched: Silverleaf.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Corniche Returns in Amsterdam

Champion Corniche (Quality Road) makes his highly anticipated return to the races and first start for trainer Todd Pletcher Sunday in Saratoga's GII Amsterdam S.

The 'TDN Rising Star' spent some time at WinStar after his championships season and, with Bob Baffert serving his suspension, was sent to Pletcher in May with an eye on the late season sophomore highlights. (Click here for Pletcher's thoughts in Mike Kane's Saturday feature).

“We're hoping that with the good fortune we had with his sire Quality Road and him making his debut for us in the Amsterdam, which produced a track record performance, that hopefully some of that good fortune will follow through here,” said Pletcher, who seeks his fifth Amsterdam win.

While he will be the favorite, he won't have it easy. Corniche is joined by Grade I winner Gunite (Gun Runner) and graded stakes-winning fellow Pletcher trainee My Prankster (Into Mischief), who finished one-two in Churchill's Maxfield S. last out July 3. The champ also faces one of his former shedrow mates from the Baffert barn in GISW Pinehurst (Twirling Candy).

Also on tap at Saratoga Sunday is the GII Bowling Green S. for turf marathoners. Grade I winners Arklow (Arch) and Rockemperor (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).

Juju's Map Headlines Monmouth Oaks

Never worse than second in a juvenile campaign that included a win in the GI Darley Alcibiades S., Juju's Map (Liam's Map) looks to return to winning ways Sunday in the GIII Monmouth Oaks. Making her seasonal debut with a dominant optional claimer score on the GI Kentucky Oaks undercard, the dark bay checked in third as the favorite last out in Belmont's GII Mother Goose S. June 25.

She will be made to work for it though with the presence of Meydan sensation and 'TDN Rising Star' Shahama (Munnings), who receives Lasix for the first time Sunday. The $425,000 OBSAPR acquisition was second in the Mother Goose after rallying for sixth in the Oaks.

A pair of Gun Runner fillies look to add to their sire's stakes success at Monmouth last weekend in SW Shotgun Hottie and GSP Runaway Wife.

Sunday's graded action wraps at Del Mar with the GII Eddie Read S., where GII Charles Whittingham S. top two Beyond Brilliant (Twirling Candy) and Masteroffoxhounds (War Front) top the field.

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Gerrymander A 50th GSW for Into Mischief in Mother Goose

The 13-2 longest price on the board in a compact field of four, Klaravich Stables' Gerrymander (Into Mischief) sat a perfect inside trip and responded when push came to shove to comfortably take out Saturday's GII Mother Goose S. at Belmont Park, becoming the 50th winner at the graded level for her outstanding sire.

Quickly into stride for Joel Rosario, the $375,000 Keeneland September acquisition set the pace in advance of heavily favored Juju's Map (Liam's Map), but last year's GI Darley Alcibiades S. winner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up counterpunched and was in front after an opening quarter that was posted in an easy :24.09. 'TDN Rising Star' Shahama (Munnings), who had to pick herself up after a stumbling beginning, raced inside early, but was guided into the three path by Flavien Prat and the bald-faced May foal chased Juju's Map through four furlongs in :46.90. Shahama was asked to come after the front-runner in earnest and looked to be going the better of that duo as they raced into the final five-sixteenths of a mile, but Gerrymander was pushed off the inside to deliver her challenge three wide at the head of the stretch, pinched a break and ran out a facile winner. Juju's Map retreated tamely into third, ahead of Venti Valentine (Firing Line).

“She broke well and it looked like they didn't want the lead,” said Rosario, winning the Mother Goose for the third time in its last five runnings and second in succession. “So, I kind of went and they wanted it [the lead] down the backside a little bit, so I just had to be where I was. She handled everything fine and she was able to come into the last turn and get the jump. She seemed really comfortable and it worked out good. It set up well.”

Gerrymander belied odds of 10-1 to graduate at second asking at Saratoga last Aug. 29, then kept company with 'TDN Rising Star' and future champion Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) in this track's GI Frizette S. before finishing 7 1/4 lengths adrift in second. The bay went one better in the Nov. 5 Tempted S., defeating future GI Central Bank Ashland winner and recent GI Belmont S. runner-up Nest (Curlin) into third, and she was a troubled sixth behind last-out GI Acorn S. romper Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) in the GII Eight Belles S. at Churchill May 6. According to trainer Chad Brown, the near-term objective for Gerrymander is the GI Alabama S. at Saratoga Aug. 20.

Pedigree Notes:

Kiki Courtelis's Town & County Farms teamed with Pollock Farms to acquire Ruby Lips–third in the 2012 Tempted when contested as a Grade III–for $180,000 at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Her first produce is Lone Rock, a multiple graded stakes-winning dirt marathoner, while Gerrymander's year-older full-sister Public Information was an allowance winner at Gulfstream Park June 19. Her homebred 2-year-old half-sister Sivako (More Than Ready) debuted this past Thursday at Churchill Downs.

Ruby Lips is a half-sister to Canadian Classic winner Like a Gem (Tactical Cat), herself the dam of three-time Grade I-winning turf mare Hard Not to Like (Hard Spun), SW Credit River (More Than Ready) and SP Time to Travel (Hard Spun). The mare foaled a Tapit filly in 2021 and a colt by Constitution this season after failing to meet her reserve at $725,000 at last year's FTKNOV sale.

Saturday, Belmont Park
MOTHER GOOSE S.-GII, $232,500, Belmont, 6-25, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:43.74, ft.
1–GERRYMANDER, 122, f, 3, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: Ruby Lips (GSP), by Hard Spun
                2nd Dam: Its a Ruby, by Rubiano
                3rd Dam: Likeashot, by Gun Shot
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($375,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Klaravich Stables, Inc.; B-Town & Country Horse Farms, LLC & Pollock Farms (KY); T-Chad C. Brown; J-Joel Rosario. $137,500. Lifetime Record: GISP, 6-3-2-0, $378,000. *1/2 to Lone Rock (Majestic Warrior), MGSW, $1,388,541. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Shahama, 122, f, 3, Munnings–Private Feeling, by Belong to Me. ($425,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). 'TDN Rising Star'. O-KHK Racing; B-SF Bloodstock LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $50,000.
3–Juju's Map, 122, f, 3, Liam's Map–Nagambie, by Flatter. ($190,000 Ylg '20 KEEJAN; $300,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Albaugh Family Stables LLC; B-Fred W. Hertrich (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $30,000.
Margins: 3, 4 3/4, 3 3/4. Odds: 6.50, 2.55, 0.50.
Also Ran: Venti Valentine. Scratched: Midnight Stroll.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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