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Spielberg Receives Top Billing in American Pharoah

The highly regarded Spielberg (Union Rags) will look to earn his diploma in Saturday’s GI American Pharoah S., a qualifier for the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Produced by a winning daughter of Smart Strike, the long-striding $1-million KEESEP yearling purchase figures to appreciate this stretch to two turns off a pair of runner-up finishes behind the talented Dr. Schivel (Violence), including a game effort after dueling throughout in the seven-furlong GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity S. Sept. 7.

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert seeks his record 10th victory in this race, named in honor of his 2015 Triple Crown hero, off the heels of wins with Game Winner (2018) and Eight Rings (2019).

“I think Spielberg should like two turns,” Baffert said of the 3-1 morning-line favorite. “They went really fast early in the Futurity and he got beat by a really nice horse. I really think two turns will be better for him, just the way he moves and all. He’s bred for it.”

Weston (Hit It a Bomb) will also try a route for the first time. The narrow GII Best Pal S. winner was third, beaten 5 1/2 lengths, after pressing the pace in the Del Mar Futurity. He became his freshman sire (by War Front)’s first winner at Santa Anita in June, and the Spendthrift stallion’s first stakes and graded stakes winner in the Best Pal.

Waspirant (Union Rags), a son of GI Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic heroine Life Is Sweet (Storm Cat), followed a well-beaten fourth behind Dr. Schivel and Spielberg on debut in a six-furlong special weight with a maiden breaker going a mile at Del Mar Aug. 29. John Shirreffs adds blinkers for this following the win.

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Million-Dollar Spielberg Looms Large In American Pharoah Stakes

A gutty runner-up in two summertime starts, Bob Baffert's highly regarded Spielberg looms the horse to beat in Saturday's Grade 1, $300,000 American Pharoah Stakes at Santa Anita. For 2-year-olds at a mile and one sixteenth, the American Pharoah has attracted a field of eight.

Most recently second, beaten 1 ¾ lengths in the Grade I Del Mar Futurity going seven furlongs on Sept. 7, Spielberg, a $1 million Keeneland September Yearling, will try two turns for the first time and be ridden for the first time by eastern-based Luis Saez.

Third in the Del Mar Futurity, trainer Ryan Hanson's Weston, a Grade II winner going six furlongs in his second start, retains the services of Drayden Van Dyke, while trainer Rafael Becerra's Touchdown Brown, who owns the best last-out Beyer Speed figure in the field, is a California-bred facing open company for the first time.

The American Pharoah, named for Baffert's 2015 Triple Crown winner, is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In” Challenge Race qualifier to the Grade I Breeders' Cup Juvenile on Nov. 6 at Keeneland.

SPIELBERG

Owner: SF Racing, LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, LLC, et al

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Second twice to Del Mar Futurity winner Dr. Schivel, Spielberg dug in gamely late while clearly second best. In what will be his third start, he'll try to provide Baffert with his record 10th American Pharoah victory.

WESTON

Owner: Chris Drakos & Ryan Hanson

Trainer: Ryan Hanson

Ridden in all three of his starts by Drayden Van Dyke, this bargain $7,000 Keeneland September Yearling showed brilliant speed in his June 21 debut here, winning by 1 ¼ lengths going 4 ½ furlongs. From there, he fought gamely to prevail by a neck in the Grade II Best Pal Stakes going six furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 8 and was subsequently third, beaten 5 ½ lengths in the Del Mar Futurity after vying head and head for the early lead. Trained and co-owned by Ryan Hanson, who is married to Santa Anita simulcast television personality Michelle Yu, Weston is battle-tested and retains the services of Van Dyke.

TOUCHDOWN BROWN

Owner: Edward Brown, Jr., Alan Klein & Phillip Lebherz

Trainer: Rafael Becerra

The lone California-bred in the lineup, this colt by Cairo Prince was ultra impressive in his 4 ½ furlong debut on June 19, winning by 5 ½ lengths as the 3-2 favorite. Away awkwardly in the 5 ½ furlong Graduation Stakes on Aug. 2, he never got untracked and finished last, beaten 5 ½ lengths in a field of seven. Ridden for the first time by upstart Juan Hernandez in the six furlong I'm Smokin Stakes Sept. 4, Touchdown Brown was second, beaten a half length in a resolute effort that provided him with a lofty 75 Beyer Speed figure. With Hernandez back aboard, he looms dangerous going two turns in his fourth career start.

THE GRADE I AMERICAN PHAROAH STAKES WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER

Race 8 of 11 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT

Touchdown Brown—Juan Hernandez—122
Rombauer—Mike Smith—122
Dyn O Mite—Victor Espinoza—122
Notable Exception—Abel Cedillo—122
Spielberg—Luis Saez—122
Get Her Number—Flavien Prat—122
Weston—Drayden Van Dyke—122
Waspirant—Umberto Rispoli—122

First post time for an 11-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. Although there is no public admittance, Santa Anita's livestream video is free of charge at santaanita.com.

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Dr. Schivel Defeats Spielberg For New Connections In Runhappy Del Mar Futurity

Red Baron's Barn and Rancho Temescal's new acquisition – the 2-year-old colt Dr. Schivel – paid instant dividends on closing day at Del Mar near San Diego, Calif., when he shook off a pair of rivals into the stretch and raced on to score by a length and three quarters in the 73rd edition of the Grade 1, $250,000 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity.

Rider Flavien Prat was aboard the son of the Kentucky sire Violence and it was his 50th win of the 27-day meeting. As it turned out, it also gave the 28-year-old Frenchmen his fifth Del Mar riding title after a fierce, season-long battle with the Italian newcomer Umberto Rispoli, who finished one behind with 49.

“He broke well, then he got a little aggressive on me,” said Prat. “I tried to give him a little breather on the turn, then when I asked him he was a runner. He's a nice colt.”

Prat was reminded the win put him ahead of Rispoli in the jockeys' race.

“Well,” Prat said, “if that's how I win the riding title, then that's great. At least now I know I can't get beat. However it turns out, it was good competition. He's a real competitor and an excellent rider. It was great to go against him.”

Dr. Schivel ran the seven furlongs of the Futurity in 1:24.16 and, as the race favorite, returned $4.80, $3.00 and $2.20 across the board. The $150,000 winner's share of the purse gave him a fresh bankroll of $197,000 after his second win in four starts.

Finishing second in the juvenile headliner was SF Racing, Starlight Racing or Madaket Stable's Spielberg and third was Drakos or Hanson's Weston.

Red Baron's Barn is the nom du course of veteran owner Jed Cohen of Encino, CA. Rancho Temescal is the racing moniker for his son, Tim, of Piru, CA. Together, they made a private purchase of Dr. Schivel from his owners/breeders – William Branch and Arnold Hill shortly after his maiden-breaking race at Del Mar on August 8. The colt ran today for his original trainer, Luis Mendez – giving him his first Grade 1 stakes win – but now will shift to the barn of the Cohens' trainer Mark Glatt.

“I loved the way he was moving (down the backstretch); he looked comfortable,” said Mendez. “And around the turn it looked like he had a lot of horse so I felt really good. And he got it done. I'm very proud of myself and the team for what we've done getting him to win this race. Now (that the horse is being transferred to another trainer) I thank the owners for giving me this horse and I've got to go back home and start breaking babies for them. I don't have any other feeling than that.”

Prat was scoring his 15th stakes win of the session, a Del Mar record for a reinsman. The previous mark of 13 was set by Rafael Bejarano in 2012.

In the race prior to the Futurity, Legacy Ranch's Big Fish triumphed by a length in the ninth running of the Del Mar Juvenile Turf. The 2-year-old colt by Mr. Big covered a mile on turf in 1:38.21 with Victor Espinoza in the tack and picked up a check for $60,000 from the total purse of $102,500. David Hofmans trains Big Fish.

Finishing second was Altamira Racing Stable's Ebeko and third was Reddam Racing's Ambivalent.

Big Fish paid $11.40, $6.20 and $4.20 across the board. He now has won two races and purses of exactly $100,000.

The Labor Day card was the final one of the 81st summer season at Del Mar. Racing will resume on Saturday, October 31 for the Bing Crosby meeting.

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Dr. Schivel Gives Violence Another Grade I Winner in Runhappy DMR Futurity

Dr. Schivel (Violence), making his first start for new owners Red Baron’s Barn and Rancho Temescal, glided to a 1 3/4-length victory in the GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity on closing day at the oceanside oval Monday. Made the 7-5 favorite to build on a smart-looking Aug. 8 maiden victory for breeders William Branch and Arnold Hill, Dr. Schivel sat a stalking trip three wide, went after favored Spielberg (Union Rags) entering the stretch and proved a little too tough for that rival, edging away down the stretch to give Hill ‘n’ Dale stallions a sweep of the holiday Grade I juvenile races on both coasts and giving his sire Violence his third Grade I winner of the year.

“I loved the way he was moving [down the backstretch]; he looked comfortable,” said winning trainer Luis Mendez. “Around the turn, it looked like he had a lot of horse, so I felt really good. And he got it done.”

A $1-million Keeneland September yearling, Spielberg showed the way early from GII Best Pal S. upsetter Weston (Hit It a Bomb), with Flavien Prat and Dr. Schivel keeping an eye on those two from the outside. But he had the answers when push came to shove at the quarter pole and, although Spielberg boxed on gamely down on the inside, Dr. Schivel got the job done by the better part of two lengths.

“He broke well, then he got a little aggressive on me,” Prat said. “I tried to give him a little breather on the turn, then when I asked him, he was a runner. He’s a nice colt.”

Dr. Schivel was third behind Weston while sprinting

4 ½ furlongs in his debut at Santa Anita June 21 and runner-up behind subsequent GII Best Pal S. third-place finisher Sonic Brees (Maclean’s Music) going 5 ½ furlongs at Los Alamitos July 4. But he put it all together for his third start, cruising to a

5 3/4-length victory over Spielberg in that colt’s debut effort going six furlongs Aug. 8. He was purchased privately after that victory and the Futurity was his final start for Mendez.

“I’m very proud of myself and the team for what we’ve done getting him to win this race,” Mendez, who was winning his first Grade I, said. “I thank the owners for giving me this horse and I’ve got to go back home and start breaking babies for them. I don’t have any other feeling than that.”

Jed Cohen’s Red Baron’s Barn and the Rancho Temescal of Cohen’s son Tim will now send Dr. Schivel to their trainer Mark Glatt.

Dr. Schivel’s victory gave jockey Flavien Prat his 50th win of the meet, putting him one ahead of Umberto Rispoli to earn the Del Mar riding title. The win was his 15th stakes victory of the meet, a record at the oval.

“Well, if that’s how I win the riding title, then that’s great,” Prat said heading into the meet’s final race Monday. “However it turns out, it was good competition. He’s a real competitor and an excellent rider. It was great to go against him.”

Pedigree Notes:

Violence, who won the 2012 GI CashCall Futurity and

GII Nashua S., now has nine graded stakes winners and 23 black-type winners. In 2020, the Hill ‘n’ Dale stallion has been represented by GI Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. winner Volatile and by GI Woody Stephens S. winner No Parole.

Dr. Schivel is the first black-type winner for his dam, Lil Nugget, who has a yearling colt by Midshipman and was bred back to Anthony’s Cross this year. The 18-year-old mare is a half-sister to Grade I winner Ultra Bend (Richly Blended).

Monday, Del Mar
RUNHAPPY DEL MAR FUTURITY-GI, $250,500, Del Mar, 9-7, 2yo, 7f, 1:24.16, ft.
1–DR. SCHIVEL, 121, c, 2, by Violence
1st Dam: Lil Nugget, by Mining for Money
2nd Dam: Ankha, by Desert Classic
3rd Dam: Distant Runner, by Distant Day
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($37,000 RNA Ylg ’19 KEEJAN). O-Red Baron’s Barn LLC, Rancho Temescal LLC, William Branch & William Dean Reeves; B-William A Branch & Arnold R Hill (KY); T-Luis Mendez; J-Flavien Prat. $150,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-1, $197,000. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Spielberg, 119, c, 2, Union Rags–Miss Squeal, by Smart Strike. ($1,000,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Golconda Stables, Siena Farm LLC & Robert Masterson; B-G Watts Humphrey (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $50,000.
3–Weston, 124, g, 2, Hit It a Bomb–Elke, by Dixie Union. ($7,000 Ylg ’19 KEEJAN; $7,000 Ylg ’19 KEESEP). O-Chris Drakos & Ryan Hanson; B-EVADI Farm Team (KY); T-Ryan Hanson. $30,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3 3/4, HF. Odds: 1.40, 3.20, 5.70.
Also Ran: Scooby, Dyn O Mite, Dixie’s Two Stents.
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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