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Crazy Beautiful Gives McPeek Back-To-Back Gulfstream Park Oaks Triumphs

Phoenix Thoroughbred III's Crazy Beautiful rallied from last to score a convincing victory in Saturday's $200,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), providing trainer Ken McPeek his second straight success in the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies at the Hallandale Beach, Fla., track.

The Gulfstream Oaks was one of 10 stakes on Saturday's program that was headlined by the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farms at Xalapa. The Oaks is a Road to the Kentucky Oaks qualifying race that offered 170 points on a 100-40-20-10 scale.

Crazy Beautiful earned her way into the April 30 Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs by following in the hoofprints of McPeek-trained Swiss Skydiver, who captured last year's Gulfstream Oaks winner, who went on to beat the boys in the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico.

“We were here a year ago. I was really proud of that win,” McPeek said. “Maybe we can accomplish half as much this year.”

Crazy Beautiful, who finished second in the seven-furlong Davona Dale (G2) Feb. 27 in her 2021 debut, was rated in seventh and last as Con Lima, the 6-5 favorite ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., set the fractions of 24.16 and 48.69 seconds for the first half-mile while stalked by Bow Wow Girl and Pens Street. Millefeuille bad a bold move between horses leaving the backstretch and pulled alongside a tiring Con Lima on the turn into the homestretch before opening a clear lead at the top of the stretch. Crazy Beautiful, the 2-1 second choice ridden by Jose Ortiz who had steadily advanced into contention, was sent between horses to get a clear run in the stretch and kicked in powerfully to overtake Millefeuille.

“I just wanted to sit there and make sure she got into a good rhythm on the backstretch and she did. I saved some ground on the first turn and I saved some ground on the second turn,” said Ortiz following his third stakes victory of the afternoon. “Kenny told me that she was a nice filly, so I rode her with confidence.”

The daughter of Liam's Map scored by 2 ½ lengths while running 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.41.

“I thought Jose rode her perfect today. He got her in a nice rhythm. I told him, 'Don't be in a hurry. Don't force anything. Get her in a nice rhythm.' He did that,” McPeek said. “She was a little farther back than she's normally been, but she's got a lot of turn of foot.”

Millefeuille finished second, 1 ¾ lengths ahead of late-closing Competitive Speed. Con Lima finished fourth.

Crazy Beautiful had a productive 2020 campaign, during which she was graded stakes-placed twice, including a second-place finish behind Simply Ravishing, also a McPeek trainee, in the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland. Simply Ravishing, who was nominated to the Gulfstream Park Oaks, is scheduled to prep for the Kentucky Oaks in the Ashland (G1) at Keeneland April 3.

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McPeek Looks for Back-to-Back GP Oaks Wins

Trainer Ken McPeek, who won last year's GII Gulfstream Park Oaks with 3-year-old filly champion Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil), will look to take a second straight renewal of the 1 1/16-mile race when he saddles Phoenix Thoroughbreds' Crazy Beautiful (Liam's Map) Saturday in Hallandale. The gray filly, the 5-2 morning-line favorite, was second in both the GIII Pocahontas S. and GI Darley Alcibiades S. last fall before ending her juvenile campaign with a sixth-place effort in the Nov. 6 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She rallied from well back to finish second in her sophomore debut in the Feb. 27 GII Davona Dale S.

“She ran great here.” McPeek said of Crazy Beautiful's effort in the Davona Dale. “I think that she's training well enough that we should go right now.”

Juddmonte Farms homebred Millefeuille (Curlin) will be looking to rebound from a troubled seventh-place effort in the Davona Dale when she goes postward Saturday for trainer Bill Mott. The bay filly, 7-2 on the morning line, was second after setting the pace in the GII Demoiselle S. at Aqueduct last December. She lost all chance in the Davona Dale when shuffled back to near last approaching the stretch and comes into her second start of the year with a bullet four-furlong work in :48.60 (1/41) at Payson Park Mar. 19.

Con Lima (Commissioner) moves back to the main track after runner-up efforts over the Hallandale turf in the Jan. 30

GIII Sweetest Chant S. and Feb. 27 GIII Herecomesthebride S. She was second in pair of off-turf stakes last September and was a wire-to-wire winner over the turf in the Jan. 2 Ginger Brew S.

“It's something we've been thinking about for a while,” trainer Todd Pletcher said of the surface switch. “Being a graded-stakes and all–and she seems to like Gulfstream–we decided to give it a try. Her races on the turf have been very good, but she's been consistent on both surfaces.”

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Crazy Beautiful Will Try To Follow Swiss Skydiver’s Example In Gulfstream Park Oaks

Trainer Kenny McPeek will be on a quest to win back-to-back runnings of the $200,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2) Saturday when he saddles Crazy Beautiful for the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies.

Last year, McPeek saddled Swiss Skydiver for a 9-1 upset victory in the Gulfstream Park Oaks that would set the tone for an Eclipse Award-winning campaign that included a victory in the Alabama (G1) at Saratoga and a photo-finish victory over Authentic in the Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico.

The 51st running of the Gulfstream Park Oaks will be among 10 stakes on Saturday's program that will be headlined by the $750,000 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) presented by Hill 'n' Dale Farm at Xalapa. Saturday's 14-race card will also be highlighted by as mandatory payout of the Rainbow 6 pool, which is expected to swell into the multi-millions should the popular multi-race wager go unsolved through Friday. There will also be guaranteed pools of $750,000 for the Late Pick 5 and Late Pick 4.

The Gulfstream Park Oaks will offer 170 qualifying points for the April 30 Kentucky Oaks (G1) on a 100-40-20-10 basis.

Phoenix Thoroughbred III's Crazy Beautiful is coming off a second-place finish in the Feb. 27 Davona Dale (G2) at Gulfstream. The daughter of Liam's Map rallied from well off the pace in her 2021 debut to finish a distant second to going-away winner Wholebodemeister. She was making her first start since finishing off the board in the Nov. 6 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Keeneland.

“She ran great here. I think that she's training well enough that we should go right now,” McPeek said.

Crazy Beautiful launched her career last summer with back-to-back wins at Ellis Park, including the Debutante Stakes before finishing second in the Pocahontas (G3) at Churchill Downs. The Kentucky-bred filly was favored to win the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland but was no match for stablemate Simply Ravishing while finishing second.

Jose Ortiz has the mount aboard Crazy Beautiful, who was rated as the 5-2 morning-line favorite.

Trainer Todd Pletcher is scheduled to saddle Con Lima for a return to dirt in the Oaks. Multiple graded stakes-placed on turf in her two most recent starts, the daughter of Commissioner is hardly heading to foreign territory. The Texas-bred filly, who is owned in a partnership by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, graduated over Gulfstream's main track July 31 after finishing a close second to Wholebodemeister in her debut over a sloppy track three weeks earlier.

“It's something we've been thinking about for a while. Being a graded-stakes and all – and she seems to like Gulfstream – we decided to give it a try,” Pletcher said.

After finishing second behind Simply Ravishing in the off-the-turf P. G. Johnson, Con Lima returned to Gulfstream to finish second in the off-the-turf Our Dear Peggy. Sent around two turns on turf for her next two starts, Con Lima romped to front-running optional claiming allowance victories by open lengths. She showed the way before fading to second in the Jan. 30 Sweetest Chant (G3) and came back to overcome trouble leaving the starting gate to close from far back and finish second in the Herecomesthebride (G3) Feb. 27.

“Her races on the turf have been very good, but she's been consistent on both surfaces,” Pletcher said. “It seemed like the right trip to try it.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. has the return mount on Con Lima, who is rated second at 3-1 in the morning line.

Competitive Speed, a sprint-stakes winner owned by John Minchello, is scheduled to make her first start around two turns Saturday. The daughter of Competitive Edge is coming off a third-place finish in the one-turn mile Davona Dale, in which she made a wide middle move to challenge front-running Wholebodemeister on the turn into the homestretch before weakening to finish third, 1 ½ lengths behind Crazy Beautiful.

Competitive Speed broke her maiden at Gulfstream Park West last July in her second career start while racing for a $25,000 claiming tag. She came back to win an optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream by 4 ½ lengths going away.

“After she won that race, I said, 'Oh, I think we've got something,” trainer Javier Gonzalez said.

Competitive Speed came back to win the 6 ½-furlong Glitter Woman by three lengths before finishing a troubled sixth in the Forward Gal and third in the Davona Dale.

“She's one of those horses that never make you look bad,” Gonzalez said. “She has a big heart in a small package.”

Gonzalez is confident that Competitive Speed will handle two turns.

“I don't think two turns will be a problem for her,” Gonzalez said. “She's been working very good and finishing up strong.”

Leonel Reyes has the return mount aboard Competitive Speed.

Juddmonte Farms Inc.'s Millefeuille will seek to rebound from a seventh-place finish in the Davona Dale Saturday. The Bill Mott-trained daughter of Curlin had previously finished second at Aqueduct in the Dec. 6 Demoiselle, in which she set the pace before falling a half-length short of holding off undefeated Malathaat.

Tyler Gaffalione is scheduled to ride the homebred filly for the first time Saturday.

Trainer Dale Romans, who has saddled the winners of three Gulfstream Park Oaks, is scheduled to saddle Calumet Farm's Bow Bow Girl and Robert Baron's Len Lo Lady for this year's running.

Bow Bow Girl is coming off an impressive maiden score at Gulfstream Park in her third career start. The homebred daughter of Oxbow set a pressured pace before drawing off to win the 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight race by 4 ½ lengths. Len Lo Lady broke her maiden by more than 10 lengths in a $50,000 claiming race prior to finishing third in a mile optional claiming allowance.

Corey Lanerie has the return call on Bow Bow Girl, while Hall of Famer John Velazquez is scheduled to ride Len Lo Lady for the first time.

Dennis Smith and Daniel Walters' Pens Street will seek to improve on a a distant fourth in the Davona Dale last time out.

The Rohan Crichton-trained daughter of Street Sense, who finished first and second in her first two career starts, will be ridden by Miguel Vasquez.

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The Week in Review: Time to Bring Back Down-the-Hill Turf Sprints at Santa Anita

There was a rare and welcome sight Saturday at Santa Anita when the field of five scampered across the down-the-hill turf course to begin the 1 1/2-mile GIII San Luis Rey S. There were no incidents in a perfectly clean race where no one was hurt. So why can't the course also be used for what were iconic 6 1/2-furlong downhill grass races?

They haven't carded a turf sprint on that course since a horse named Arms Runner (Overdriven) broke down and had to be euthanized in the running of the GIII San Simeon S. Mar. 31, 2019. La Sardane (Fr) (Kingsala) fell over Arms Runner, but was not seriously injured. The accident came at the height of the controversy that swirled over Santa Anita at a time when an unusually high number of horses had broken down. There was nothing to suggest that the downhill races were more dangerous than normal races, but management was in a position where it couldn't afford to take any chances.

The future of these races looked bleak when Santa Anita recently installed a chute on the main course that can accommodate six and 6 1/2-furlong grass races. But it appears that the races, a favorite of fans, gamblers and horsemen, will be back soon. The Stronach Group Chief Operating Officer Aidan Butler said management is close to giving the green light for a return of the downhill sprints.

“We've always wanted to bring them back,” Butler said. “I've gone on the record a couple of times talking about how special those races are. I get a text at least every other day from a trainer or owner informing me of why it was such a stupid idea to end those races. I am really hopeful we will be getting them back at some point.”

In the nearly two years since the 2019 San Simeon, The Stronach Group has looked at the data and found that the downhill races were just as safe as normal races.

“We are all comfortable that those races are as safe as any races,” Butler said. “When the race was last run there was a pretty nasty spill. We were a little gun shy. We've been on a good run on safety. Now, it's just a matter of timing. When we feel the perfect time has come, we'll start running them again. It would be a nice option to be able to run those races again and I think we will when every single one of us is comfortable with it.”

Caution is fine, but sometimes you can be too cautious. These races can't come back soon enough.

Another Strong Showing From a California Shipper

The California-based 3-year-olds lost a star Saturday when it was announced that Life Is Good (Into Mischief) had suffered what appears to be a minor injury that will keep him out of the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby and the GI Kentucky Derby. He has a small chip in his left hind ankle and will undergo surgery on Friday at the Rood & Riddle clinic in Kentucky.

(How would you like to own some of those tickets on Life Is Good in the Derby Future at 2-1? Worst bet ever).

But even with that loss, the California group is deep and very well could win another Derby.

A week after Santa Anita shippers Concert Tour (Street Sense) and Hozier (Pioneerof the Nile) ran one-two in the GII Rebel S., the West was best again when Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) won the GII Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby Saturday at Fair Grounds. On paper, he looked no better than the third or fourth best colt in California, but had no problem defeating a solid group of opponents. Showing more speed than normal, he led most of the way on his way to a two-length win.

On Saturday, the Baffert-trained Spielberg (Union Rags) will try to give the Californians another out-of-town win in the GI Curlin Florida Derby.

Largely because of Bob Baffert, the California group has had a nice run in Louisville. Five of the last seven Derbies have been won by California-based trainers. That may soon be six of the last eight.

The Problem With Whipping Penalties

Jockey Robby Albarado was handed a three-day suspension last week by the Santa Anita stewards for violating the whipping rules when riding Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in the GI Beholder Mile. Albarado hit his mount just once, but when he did so, he used the traditional overhanded method, which is no longer allowed in California. On the same day that the Albarado suspension came out, Flavien Prat was fined $500 for whip violations and Juan Hernandez was handed a $1,000 fine.

With the fines and suspensions, the stewards are obviously trying to deter riders from violating the whipping rules, which, in California, are the most restrictive in the nation. But they may be fighting a losing battle. In some races, the incentive to use the whip is just too great.

Take the case of Albarado. Being that he is someone who rarely rides in California, it's possible that he was unaware of the rule. Or it could have been a matter of weighing the punishment versus the crime. The Beholder Mile was a Grade I race and the winner's share of the purse was $180,000. That means that a victory put $18,000 in Albarado's pocket. If Albarado, or any jockey, feels they need to go to the whip in order to secure a victory, what's stopping them from doing so? There's just too much temptation to go to the whip when that may mean the difference between a win and a loss. At least that's the case when the likely fine or suspension amounts to a minor penalty or a few hundred dollars and the stewards have shown no signs of disqualifying a horse because of the way it was whipped.

Would a jockey locked in battle in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic, where a win means about $400,000 for the rider, really put away his whip in the stretch over concerns of a three-day suspension or a $1,000 fine? That's hard to imagine.

Short of taking the whips away from the riders all together, which isn't going to happen any time soon, there is this inherent flaw in the system and no easy answers as for how to deal with it.

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