Gamine, Improbable, Storm the Court Tune Up at Del Mar

‘TDN Rising Stars’ Gamine (Into Mischief) and Improbable (City Zip), each victorious in Grade I company at Saratoga in their most recent appearances, tuned up for their next engagements at Del Mar Saturday morning.

Michael Lund Petersen’s Gamine, towering winner of the GI Longines Test S. Aug. 8, worked five furlongs in 1:00.80 (XBTV video) in the company of her stakes-winning stablemate and fellow ‘Rising Star’ Quality Response (Quality Road). With Juan Ochoa in the saddle, the $220,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $1.8-million Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-old sales topper was timed in fractions of :25.40 and :37.80 before galloping out six furlongs in 1:13.20 and seven-eighths in 1:27.20, according to clocker Toby Turrell. Improbable, who wired the field in the GI Whitney S. Aug. 1, worked by his lonesome, stopping the timer in 1:00.40. The opening three furlongs went in :36.20.

“Very nice works,” trainer Bob Baffert told the Del Mar notes team via text. “Still looking strong.”

Eclipse Award winner Storm the Court (Court Vision) worked a bullet five furlongs in :59 flat (1/73) (XBTV video) and could make his next start in the GI Kentucky Derby Sept. 5. He was most recently second trying the turf for the first time in the GII La Jolla H. Aug. 9, also opening the door for a start in the GII Del Mar Derby Sept. 6.

“It was a bit fast, the rider didn’t realize they were going as fast as they were, but that’s better than the alternative,” trainer Peter Eurton told the notes team.

Should he make the trip to Kentucky, Julien Leparoux has the mount.

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Aug. 23 Insights

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EXPENSIVE DAUGHTER OF JACARANDA DEBUTS AT THE SPA

3rd-SAR, $72K, Msw, 2yo, f, 6f, 2:20 p.m.

Peter Brant went to $925,000 at KEESEP for AMERICAN WEST (Curlin), the second foal and first to make the races out of GSW Jacaranda (Congrats), who makes her career bow in this test. Jon Clay’s Alpha Delta Stable went to $2 million to acquire Jacaranda, in foal to Candy Ride (Arg), at the 2016 FTKNOV sale. The Grade III winner is a half-sister to MGISW and hot young sire Constitution (Tapit) and GSW Boynton (More Than Ready). Their GSP dam Baffled (Distorted Humor)–who summoned $1.8-million at last year’s FTKNOV sale after bringing $3.5-million at the 2016 renewal of that auction–is a half-sister to GISW Emcee (Unbridled’s Song) and GSW Surfer (Distorted Humor). TJCIS PPs

 

ASMUSSEN SENDS OUT INTRIGUING PAIR OF FIRSTERS AT ELLIS

3rd-ELP, $46.2K, Msw, 3yo/up, 1m, 2:46p.m.

Steve Asmussen sends out a pair of interesting firsters in Stonestreet homebred MOLIERE (Curlin) and $875,000 KEESEP buy Hard Ten (Uncle Mo). Barbara Banke’s operation went to $1.5 million to acquire Moliere’s dam Comedy (Theatrical {Ire}) in foal to Tapit at the 2015 KEENOV sale. She is also the dam of GISW Taris (Flatter), who brought $2.35-million at FTKNOV the year prior; and stakes winners Theatre Star (War Front) and Stoweshoe (Flatter). Hard Ten is a son of Peruvian champion Morena (Per) (Privately Held), who is also the dam of GI Belmont S. and GI Arkansas Derby victor Creator (Tapit). TJCIS PPs

 

SON OF BETTER LUCKY MAKES CAREER BOW AT THE JERSEY SHORE

6th-MTH, $47.5K, Msw, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 3:09 p.m.

Mike Stidham unveils a son of MGISW Better Lucky (Ghostzapper) in TAPWOOD (Tapit). A dual Grade I winner and millionaire, Better Lucky is also the dam of GSP Kentucky Wildcat (Tapit). Her dam, GSW Sahara Gold (Seeking the Gold), is a daughter of GI Breeders’ Cup Sprint heroine Desert Stormer (Storm Cat). TJCIS PPs

 

CASSE UNVEILS PRICEY CANDY RIDE

5th-WO, $126.8K, Msw, 2yo, 7fT, 3:16 p.m.

D J Stable’s $800,000 OBSAPR purchase DOLDER GRAND (Candy Ride {Arg}) makes his first trip to the post in this test. Breezing in :10 1/5 on the OBS synthetic, the dark bay is a half to GSP Battalion Runner (Unbridled’s Song) and Oceanwave (Harlan’s Holiday); and SP Tiznoble (Tiznow) and Late Nite Mischief (Into Mischief). His dam is a full-sister to GISW and sire Tapizar (Tapit). Casse also unveils Gary Barber’s $385,000 FTKOCT purchase American Great (American Pharoah). Her second dam is MGSW Stylish (Thunder Gulch). TJCIS PPs

 

LATEST OFFSPRING OF TAKE CHARGE LADY HITS THE TRACK

3rd-DMR, $55K, Msw, 3yo/up, f/m, 6f, 6:00 p.m.

AS TIME GOES BY (American Pharoah) will be the latest offspring by blue hen and top racemare Take Charge Lady (Dehere) to hit the track Sunday in her debut for trainer Bob Baffert. She displays a speedy worktab typical of a member of that Hall of Famer’s barn, most recently breezing a best-of-69 half-mile in :47 flat at Del Mar Aug. 17. A three-time Grade I winner and multimillionaire, Take Charge Lady proved equally talented in the breeding shed, producing the likes of champion Will Take Charge (Unbridled’s Song); Grade I winner Take Charge Indy (A.P. Indy); and the dam of champion Take Charge Brandi (Giant’s Causeway) and MGISW Omaha Beach (War Front). TJCIS PPs

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Sistercharlie Shooting For Third Straight Diana

The list of horses that have won the GI Diana S. on multiple occasions reads like a veritable horse racing Hall of Fame: Miss Grillo, Tempted, Shuvee, Glowing Honor and Forever Together have all accomplished the feat. Peter Brant’s Sistercharlie (Ire) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) can ascend to the top of that classy heap as she goes for the three-peat Sunday afternoon at Saratoga, but a fait accompli is most certainly is not.

The 2018 champion turf female made best use of her superior turn of foot to easily defeat her stablemate and TDN Rising Star Rushing Fall (More Than Ready) in this event last summer, then became the first to win the GI Beverly D. S. back-to-back last August. The deceptively easy winner of the GI Flower Bowl S. in October, she was third in defense of her GI Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf title Nov. 2 and could do no better than to round out the trifecta behind Starship Jubilee (Indy Wind) and Call Me Love (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the GII Ballston Spa S. July 25.

Rushing Fall’s defeat last year was just the second of her career and while she was only fourth to Uni (GB) (More Than Ready) in the GI First Lady S. at Keeneland when forced to race off the speed, she has been dominant in two starts this term, besting Call Me Love in front-running fashion in the GIII Beaugay S. June 3 ahead of a 3/4-length success over Jolie Olimpica (Brz) (Drosselmeyer) in the GI Jenny Wiley S. in Lexington July 11, though Sunday’s nine-furlong trip remains a question mark. Her two wins at the distance came in age-restricted company in 2018.

Starship Jubilee returns to the Spa, having passed on the GII Dance Smartly S. at her Woodbine base last weekend. The former $16,000 claimer enters the Diana on a three-race streak, having annexed the GIII Suwannee River S. at Gulfstream and the GII Hillsborough S. at Tampa over the winter.

Mean Mary (Scat Daddy), five-for-seven lifetime, figures to make Rushing Fall work for it up front. The Alex Campbell homebred has not been headed in her last three trips to the race, good for victories in the 12-furlong GIII La Prevoyante S. at Gulfstream in January, the GIII Orchid S. over a mile and three furlongs Mar. 28 and a the 10-panel GII New York S. downstate June 27.

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Pletcher’s Dr Post Tunes Up for Derby

Dr Post (Quality Road), who placed in both the GI Belmont S. and the GI TVG.com Haskell S. this summer, signaled his readiness for the GI Kentucky Derby Sept. 5 with a five-furlong move in 1:00.75 at Saratoga Friday. With temperatures in the mid-60s after the renovation break, Dr Post worked in company with Money Moves (Candy Ride {Arg}) over the fast main track for trainer Todd Pletcher.

“It was a good work for him today,” said Pletcher of the colorbearer for Vincent Viola’s St. Elias Stable. “He galloped out well and I was very happy with what I saw out of him.”

Pletcher, who previously won the Derby in 2010 and 2017 with Super Saver (Maria’s Mon) and Always Dreaming (Bodemeister), respectively, said this would be the penultimate work prior to the Derby for Dr Post. The sophomore, who won the Apr. 25 Unbridled S. at Gulfstream Park, is scheduled to work again next Friday, Aug. 28, at the Spa before shipping to Kentucky.

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