soviet problem stakes | 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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Sensible Cat Pounces On California-Bred Foes In Soviet Problem

Sensible Cat provided trainer Carla Gaines with her first stakes win at Los Alamitos with a come-from-behind victory in the $100,000 Soviet Problem Stakes on Saturday.

A little more than five weeks after breaking her maiden at eight furlongs on the Del Mar turf course in her second career start, the 2-year-old daughter of Bluegrass Cat demonstrated Saturday she is equally adept on dirt at the Cypress, Calif., track.

Owned by Irvin Racing Stable and ridden by Juan Hernandez, Sensible Cat, the 9-2 fourth choice in the field of 10 California bred or sired fillies, was reserved off the early pace, rallied outside in the stretch, collared 5-2 favorite Dylans Wild Cat inside the eighth pole and went on to score by 1 ¾ lengths.

Out of the Street Sense mare Sensible Girl, Sensible Cat completed the mile in 1:37.94. She paid $11, $6.20 and $3.60 while increasing her earnings to $89,700.

“I thought it was tremendous,'' said Gaines. “We thought right away she was going to be a horse that wanted two turns. She had some mucus and was coughing this summer at Del Mar, so we missed getting her in a long race there, so we sprinted her once (a sixth-place finish Sept. 7) to get her some experience.

“We couldn't wait to get her going two turns and she responded (a turf victory Nov. 6 at Del Mar). It's nice to know we have the option of grass or dirt with her.''

The stakes success was the second in a span of six days for Hernandez, who used similar off-the-pace tactics to win the Grade 3 Bayakoa with Proud Emma Dec. 6.

“(Gaines) had me watch the replay of her last race and said to ride her that way,'' said Hernandez, the leading rider through the first six days of the meet with eight victories. “She broke well and I wanted to sit off the leaders.

“I wasn't sure if she was going to go by early in the stretch, but when I switched and hit her left-handed, she really responded.''

Governor Goteven, the second choice at 3-1, outfinished Dylans Wild Cat by a half-length for the place. She paid $5.00 and $3.60 while the show price on Dylans Wild Cat was $2.80.

I'm So Anna, Super Game, pacesetter Mucha Woman, Will Take a Kiss, Miss Glorious, Westward Breeze and Love Wins completed the order of finish.

Racing resumes Sunday at Los Alamitos. Post time is 12:30 p.m. Pacific.

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Los Alamitos: Cedillo Triples After Thursday Mishap; Two-Day Carryover In Saturday’s Pick 6

A day after being unseated in a freak mishap, jockey Abel Cedillo won three times Friday at Los Alamitos in Cypress, Calif.

Released from Long Beach Memorial Hospital late Thursday afternoon after an MRI and X-rays showed no injury after he was dumped when Governance, his third race mount, apparently jumped a shadow midway around the far turn in the one-mile contest, Cedillo moved into a tie for the top spot in the rider standings with his hat trick.

The last of Cedillo's Friday wins – and his sixth through the first five days of the Los Angeles County Fair Winter meet – came aboard 2-1 favorite Acting Out in the $55,260 feature.

Owned by Zvika Akin, Robert Harkins and trainer Art Sherman, the 3-year-old gray daughter of Blame tracked the early pace set by longshot Square Peggy, took over early in the stretch and went on to prevail by five lengths over 6-1 shot Hotitude and six others.

The victory was the second in a row and third in five starts for Acting Out, who is out of the Speightstown mare Riding Point. She's now earned $109,340.

In her first start over the track where she is based, Acting Out completed the 5 ½ furlongs in 1:02.56 and paid $6.20, $4 and $3.40.

Never worse than second in five races at Los Alamitos, Hotitude returned $6 and $4.40 while finishing two lengths clear of 21-1 shot No Cover Charge. The show price on No Cover Charge was $7.40.

Square Peggy, A Melis, Jewel Thief, Miss Fraulein and Andyoushallreceive completed the order of finish. Tip Top Gal and Devils Dance were scratched.

Cedillo's other wins came with favored Luxury Liner in the third and Medina Spirit, an impressive 2-year-old debuter for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, in the sixth. He is tied with Juan Hernandez, who won Friday's eighth aboard Union Dance.

Racing resumes Saturday at Los Alamitos. Post time is 12:30 p.m.

The feature on the nine-race program is the $100,000 Soviet Problem Stakes. The one-mile race for 2-year-old fillies bred or sired in California attracted 11 entrants, but only 10 will be permitted to start. The 5-2 favorite on Ed Burgart's morning line is first out winner Westward Breeze.

$13,703 Carryover In Saturday's Pick 6
For the second time in the first five days of the Los Angeles Fair Winter Thoroughbred meet at Los Alamitos, there will be a two-day Pick 6 carryover when racing resumes Saturday.

The carryover of $13,703 was clinched when Union Dance easily won the eighth race under jockey Juan Hernandez.

The Pick 6 begins in Saturday's fourth race. Post time is 12:30 p.m. and scheduled post time for the fourth is 1:58 p.m.

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