Tag: Simon Callaghan

Vancouver Filly a Perfect Three-for-Three with Surfer Girl Win

Kaleem Shah’s Madone made it a perfect three-for-three with a late-charging victory in the Surfer Girl S. at Santa Anita Sunday. Made the even-money favorite off of two wins going a mile over the Del Mar lawn, the dark bay filly settled well off a quick pace. She made rapid progress nearing the lane and pounced to the lead at midstretch before gamely holding off Tetragonal, who came from last to just miss. Purchased for $125,000 at this year’s OBS March sale off a :10 1/5 breeze, Madone opened her career with a one-length victory over the Del Mar lawn July 31 and she closed late to add the Sept. 6 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf S. last time out.

“I liked where we were after the first quarter, it seemed like they were going fast enough up front,” said winning rider Flavien Prat. “The fractions don’t say it, but down the backside, it seemed like they slowed it down a little so I moved and I think I moved a little too soon. When she makes the lead, she pulls herself up a little. In all of her races, she doesn’t win by much, but she’s got a lot of talent.”

Conditioner Simon Callaghan added, “They went fast, which we thought could happen, so Flavien just let her settle back early and let her get comfortable. He made a big move with her and thankfully she had enough to hold off the filly that was running at us.”

Callaghan confirmed that Madone would now point for the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf Nov. 6.

“She is professional, she has really grown up a lot,” he said. “She took a little bit of time to come around, but she’s really developing into a real professional.”

The winner hails from the extended female family of Grade I winners Gold Fever and Boisterous. She has a yearling half-sister by Astern (Aus) who was purchased by agent Ben McElroy, who also purchased Madone. Indian Love Call produced a Cairo Prince colt this term before being bred back to Gormley.

SURFER GIRL S., $102,000, Santa Anita, 10-4, 2yo, f, 1mT, 1:34.83, fm.
1–MADONE, 122, f, 2, by Vancouver (Aus)
                1st Dam: Indian Love Call, by Cherokee Run
                2nd Dam: Mood Music, by Kingmambo
                3rd Dam: Lead Kindly Light, by Majestic Light
($70,000 Wlg ’18 KEENOV; $50,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP; $125,000
2yo ’20 OBSMAR). O-Kaleem Shah, Inc.; B-Glendalough LLC
(KY); T-Simon Callaghan; J-Flavien Prat. $60,000. Lifetime
Record: 3-3-0-0, $141,300.
2–Tetragonal (Ire), 118, f, 2, Mehmas (Ire)–Crystal Snowflake
(Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (€22,000 Ylg ’19 TIRSEP).
O-Slam Dunk Racing & Joey Platts; B-Mrs Mary Gallagher (IRE);
T-Richard Baltas. $20,000.
3–Pizzazz, 118, f, 2, War Front–A Little Bit Sassy, by More Than
Ready. O-Perry R. II & Ramona S. Bass, Ramona S.; B-Bass
Stables, LLC (KY); T-Richard E. Mandella. $12,000.
Margins: NK, 3HF, NO. Odds: 1.10, 25.50, 8.20.
Also Ran: Closing Remarks, Canoodling, Maxim Strider, Consternation (Ire), Nimbostratus (Fr), Reign of Fire.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Harvest Moon Shines In ‘Win And You’re In’ Zenyatta Stakes

The lone 3-year-old in the field, trainer Simon Callaghan's Harvest Moon stalked heavily favored Fighting Mad early and took charge turning for home en route to a rousing three-quarter length score in Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. The Zenyatta is a pivotal steppingstone to the G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland on Nov. 7.

With Bob Baffert-trained Fighting Mad, a recent gate to wire G1 winner going to the early lead as expected, Harvest Moon fell into a perfect stalking trip from her number three post in a field of four fillies and mares.  Lapped just outside the favorite in the run up the backstretch, Harvest Moon glided alongside Fighting Mad mid-way around the far turn and held Hard Not to Love safe late for the win.

“We thought Fighting Mad would go to the lead and we wanted to keep pressure on her,” said jockey Flavien Prat, who has now guided Harvest Moon to four consecutive wins.  “My filly had never been a mile and a sixteenth, but Fighting Mad was carrying 126 pounds.  You never know with a 3-year-old against older, but we got eight pounds, so that was good.  It turned out this was a good distance for my filly and she really ran well.”

A 1 1/4-length winner of the G3 Torrey Pines stakes versus sophomore fillies going one mile on Aug. 22 at Del Mar, Harvest Moon was the third betting choice at 7-2 and paid $9.80 and $5.60 (no show wagering).

“We have been really patient with her early on and that's a credit to Alice (Bamford, breeder and co-owner) and Michael Tabor (co-owner),” said Callaghan.  It was said that this filly has a lot of talent and they were so patient throughout the whole process.  She took her time to come to hand, but she's come a long way in a short period of time.

Harvest Moon was under consideration to run against 3-year-old fillies in the G2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes Preakness weekend at Pimlico, but Callaghan opted to keep the filly in Southern California.

“(Running in the Zenyatta) certainly looks like a good decision now.  Myself and Alice, along with everyone else, chatted and we felt at this stage keeping her here, receiving weight from Fighting Mad, was the right thing.”

A 3-year-old bay filly by Uncle Mo, out of the Shamardal mare Qaraaba (winner of the G3 Robert J. Frankel Stakes for Callaghan and Harvest Moon's owners), Harvest Moon notched her second graded stakes win and her fourth overall win from five starts.  With the winner's share of $120,000, Harvest Moon roughly doubled her earnings to $240,720.

“I'm absolutely thrilled today, completely over the moon for Harvest Moon!” said Bamford.  “She's a homebred and she's just so deep in my heart and in my family's heart.  It was so good to see her so well ridden today, showing off her beautiful stride … We lost her mother this year, Qaraaba, who (was) a stunning, stunning filly and each time I tell her, 'Harvest Moon, go and do it for your Mama.'  And she has.”

The actual second choice in the race at 7-2, Hard Not to Love was a close third throughout and edged by the favorite late by three quarters of a length for second money while returning $5.60 to place with Mike Smith up.

Fractions on the race were 23.37, 46.51, 1:10.21 and 1:36.11.

Named for the legendary mare that remained unbeaten and became the only distaffer to ever beat the boys in the Breeders' Cup Classic by taking the 2009 running at Santa Anita, Zenyatta would then became Horse of the Year in 2010 for owners Jerry and Ann Moss and trainer John Shirreffs.  The Zenyatta is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge Race qualifier to the G1 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland Nov. 7.

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Uncle Mo Filly Gets Better of Her Elders in ‘Win and You’re In’ Zenyatta

Alice Bamford and Michael Tabor’s Harvest Moon (Uncle Mo), the only 3-year-old in the four-horse field, put away favored Fighting Mad (New Year’s Day) at midstretch and then held off Hard Not To Love (Hard Spun) in the dying strides to win the GII Zenyatta S. at Santa Anita Sunday and earn an automatic berth in the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff.

“I’m absolutely thrilled today, completely over the moon for Harvest Moon,” said Bamford. “She’s a homebred and she’s just so deep in my heart and in my family’s heart. It was so good to see her so well ridden today, showing off her beautiful stride. We lost her mother this year, Qaraaba, who was a stunning, stunning filly and each time I tell her, ‘Harvest Moon, go and do it for your Mama.’ And she has.”

Sent off at 7-2 and making her first start beyond a mile, the lightly raced Harvest Moon tracked pacesetting Fighting Mad through fractions of :23.37 and :46.51. She rolled up to engage the favorite entering the homestretch and, while Fighting Mad attempted to claw her way back, Harvest Moon was always going the better of the two and inched away to the wire for her fourth straight victory. Hard Not To Love closed for second, while Fighting Mad, who was coming off a wire-to-wire victory in the GI Clement L. Hirsch S., stayed on for third.

“We thought Fighting Mad would go to the lead and we wanted to keep pressure on her,” said winning jockey Flavien Prat. “My filly had never been a mile and a sixteenth, but Fighting Mad was carrying 126 pounds. You never know with a 3-year-old against older, but we got eight pounds, so that was good. It turned out this was a good distance for my filly and she really ran well.”

Harvest Moon was making just her fifth career start in the Zenyatta. The bay filly opened her career over the turf, finishing third in a one-mile maiden special weight at Santa Anita June 12. She graduated second time out when moved to the main track at Los Alamitos July 3 and added an optional claimer at the oceanside oval July 27 before making the jump to the graded stakes ranks with a 1 1/4-length victory in the Aug. 22 GIII Torrey Pines S. last time out.

“We have been really patient with her early on and that’s a credit to Alice and Michael Tabor,” said winning trainer Simon Callaghan. “It was said that this filly has a lot of talent and they were so patient throughout the whole process. She took her time to come to hand, but she’s come a long way in a short period of time.”

Pedigree Notes:

Qaraaba, who died earlier this year, produced a colt by Air Force Blue last year. The mare’s third dam is G1 Irish Derby winner Salsabil (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells).

Harvest Moon’s sire Uncle Mo doubled up on graded victories just 20 minutes after the Zenyatta when Envoutante glided to victory in the GIII Remington Oaks.

Sunday, Santa Anita
ZENYATTA S.-GII, $196,000, Santa Anita, 9-27, 3yo/up, f/m,
1 1/16m, 1:43.03, ft.
1–HARVEST MOON, 118, f, 3, by Uncle Mo
1st Dam: Qaraaba (GB) (GSW, $171,119), by Shamardal
2nd Dam: Mokaraba (GB), by Unfuwain
3rd Dam: Muhaba, by Mr. Prospector
O-Alice Bamford & Michael B. Tabor; B-Alice Bamford (KY);
T-Simon Callaghan; J-Flavien Prat. $120,000. Lifetime Record:
5-4-0-1, $240,720. *1/2 to Californiagoldrush (Cape Blanco
{Ire}), GSW & GISP, $322,345.
2–Hard Not to Love, 122, f, 4, Hard Spun–Loving Vindication, by
Vindication. ‘TDN Rising Star’ ($400,000 Ylg ’17 KEESEP).
O-Mercedes Stables LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, Scott
Dilworth, Dorothy & David Ingordo & F. Steve Mooney;
B-Anderson Farms Ont. Inc. (ON); T-John A. Shirreffs. $40,000.
3–Fighting Mad, 126, f, 4, New Year’s Day–Smokey’s Love, by
Forestry. O/B-Gary & Mary West Stables (KY); T-Bob Baffert.
$24,000.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, 7 1/4. Odds: 3.90, 3.30, 0.40.
Also Ran: Proud Emma. Scratched: Hang a Star. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Frontrunning Fighting Mad Tops ‘Win And You’re In’ Zenyatta Stakes

An impressive gate to wire winner of her last two starts, the Gary and Mary West homebred Fighting Mad looms a standout in Sunday's Grade 2, $200,000 Zenyatta Stakes at Santa Anita. The Zenyatta, to be contested at a mile and one sixteenth, has attracted a field of five fillies and mares aged three and up.

Trainer Simon Callaghan's Harvest Moon, a 3-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo, has won her last three starts and is an up and comer that will attract considerable pari-mutuel attention. Hard Not to Love, a Grade 1 winner and well accomplished, comes off a dull sixth behind Fighting Mad in the Grade 1 Clement Hirsch at Del Mar and will hope to rebound for trainer John Shirreffs.

Named for the legendary winner of the 2009 Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita who then became Horse of the Year in 2010 for owners Jerry and Ann Moss and trainer John Shirreffs, the Zenyatta is a Breeders' Cup “Win & You're In” Challenge Race qualifier to the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff at Keeneland on Nov. 7.

FIGHTING MAD

Owner: Gary & Mary West

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Ridden aggressively on the lead going a mile and one sixteenth in her last two starts by Abel Cedillo, she took the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes by 3 ¼ lengths on May 31 and prevailed by a half length in the Grade 1 Hirsch on Aug. 2. A winner of five out her eight starts, this 4-year-old daughter of New Year's Day is at the top of her game and looms strictly the horse to beat in the Zenyatta.

HARVEST MOON

Owner: Alice Bamford & Michael B. Tabor

Trainer: Simon Callaghan

A one mile maiden winner in her second start on July 20 at Los Alamitos, she then rallied to win a first condition allowance at the same distance by 4 ¼ lengths on July 27 at Del Mar. Off again as the 3-2 favorite, she responded with a solid 1 ¼ length score in the Grade 3, one mile Torrey Pines Stakes Aug. 22 and looms a very legitimate danger on Sunday. With Flavien Prat set to ride for the fourth consecutive time, Harvest, who has won three out of her four races, looms a legitimate threat.

HARD NOT TO LOVE

Owner: Mercedes Stables LLC, West Point Thoroughbreds, Scott Dilworth, Dorothy & David Ingordo, Steve Mooney

Trainer: John Shirreffs

Often quirky in the paddock and on the racetrack due to the fact she only has the use of one eye, Hard Not to Love will try to bounce back from a 13 ¼ length drubbing at the hands of Fighting Mad in the Aug. 2 Clement Hirsch. Second, beaten 3 ¼ lengths by Fighting Mad two starts back in the Grade 2 Santa Maria, Hard Not to Love, a 4-year-old Ontario, Canadian-bred filly by Hard Spun is winless in three two turn starts since taking the Grade 2, seven furlong Santa Monica Stakes on Feb. 15.

THE GRADE 2 ZENYATTA STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 4 of 11 Approximate post time 2 p.m. PT

  1. Fighting Mad—Luis Saez—126
  2. Proud Emma—Ricardo Gonzalez—122
  3. Harvest Moon—Flavien Prat—118
  4. Hang a Star—Tyler Baze—122
  5. Hard Not to Love—Mike Smith—122

First post time for an 11-race card on Sunday is at 12:30 p.m. Although there is no public admittance, Santa Anita's races can be viewed free of charge via the track's livestream video at santaanita.com

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