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Patience Pays Off As Counterparty Risk Victorious In Endeavour Stakes

Klaravich Stables' Counterparty Risk cut the corner turning for home under jockey John Velazquez and held firm for a one-length victory from New York Girl in Saturday's Grade 3, $175,000 Lambholm South Endeavour Stakes for older fillies and mares. Margaret's Joy rallied for third.

The 4-year-old Irish-bred, making only her fourth start, is trained by Chad Brown. Her time for the 1 1/16 miles on the grass was 1:43.20. Counterparty Risk is by Australia, out of the Acclamation mare Anklet.

Counterparty Risk rated in fourth for the opening six furlongs as No Mercy Percy, a 23-1 longshot, led through fractions of :24.31, :49.40 and 1:13.56. New York Girl tracked the leader before making her move at the top of the stretch but couldn't hold off the winner.

The victory was the fourth on the card for Velazquez. The favorite, Counterparty Risk paid $3.80 for her second career victory.

“She's a real exciting prospect for us moving forward,” Brown said by telephone. “(Her winning a Grade 3 in her fourth start) is a credit to her and my team. She has had some injuries, none serious, but always inconveniencing and requiring patience.

“(Owner) Seth Klarman is extremely patient and always puts the horses' interests first. She ran super today and got a terrific ride from Johnny V, which is what you expect from a Hall of Famer. She shot through the opening turning for home and showed a great turn of foot. We are very grateful for her ability and my team's preparation,” Brown said.

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Candy Ride Colt Tops Mott One-Two in Sam Davis

Candy Man Rocket (Candy Ride {Arg}), a blowout maiden winner at second asking at Gulfstream Jan. 9, led home a one-two finish for the Hall of Fame Bill Mott barn with a press-and-pounce, one-length score while making his two-turn debut in Saturday's GIII Sam F. Davis S. at Tampa Bay Downs.

Pasco S. winner Nova Rags (Union Rags) followed home his stablemate and just edged out the somewhat green Hidden Stash (Constitution) for second.

The Sam F. Davis carries 10-4-2-1 qualifying points on the Road to the GI Kentucky Derby.

The 3-1 second-choice forced the issue on the outside through fractions of :23.35 and :46.94 after exiting from post nine, and made his move to strike the front at the top of the stretch as Nova Rags began to sneak through an opening on the inside with a run of this own.

Candy Man Rocket was always going the better of the two, however. He enjoyed a 2 1/2-length advantage at the stretch call, and kept on finding down the lane to get the money.

Favored Known Agenda (Curlin), exiting a well-beaten third over sloppy going in the GII Remsen S. Dec. 5 and some very live maiden races last term for Todd Pletcher, got going too late from far back to finish fifth.

“[Candy Man Rocket] has some tactical speed and he put Junior [Alvarado] in a great spot,” said Riley Mott, assistant and son of winning trainer Bill Mott.

“He got into a real nice comfort zone down the backside and Junior let him out a notch going to the three-eighths pole, and at that point, there wasn't a whole lot coming from behind. He hit the front a little bit early, which was concerning–he's still inexperienced and sometimes when they get to the front too early, they tend to wander. Junior kept him to the task and he really ran on well and passed the two-turn test.”

As for what's next for the top two, Riley Mott added, “We have to see how the horses come back. Nova Rags has had two races in three weeks, and to bring him back in four [for the GII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby], we just have to look at the calendar and see what the options are. As far as Candy Man Rocket, he went over the track today, but we have to see how they come back.”

Seventh after showing some early interest in his sloppy, sprint debut at Churchill Nov. 22, Candy Man Rocket cruised by 9 1/4 lengths going six furlongs at Gulfstream last time Jan. 9, good for an 85 Beyer Speed Figure.

Candy Man Rocket brought $250,000 from Frank Fletcher at last year's postponed OBS Spring Sale after breezing a quarter in :21.

The Arkansas-based businessman also campaigns the MGSW & MGISP 'TDN Rising Star' homebred Frank's Rockette (Into Mischief), a winner in her 2021 comebacker in the American Beauty S. at Oaklawn last month.

Pedigree Notes:

It's been a long time since a leading sire list didn't include Candy Ride (Arg), who acquired his 49th graded winner and 96th black-type winner with Candy Man Rocket's first stakes score Saturday. Out of the Forestry mare Kenny Lane, Candy Man Rocket's third dam is a half-sister to champion Althea (Alydar), making Broodmare of the Year Courtly Dee (Never Bend) his fourth dam. The dynasty established by Courtly Dee included top sires Arch (Kris S.) and Green Desert (Danzig), as well as more recent stars like champion Covfefe (Into Mischief) and Breeders' Cup winner Bayern (Offlee Wild). Kenny Lane produced the colt Notacry (Orb) in 2019, who sold for $10,000 at Keeneland January in 2020, and a filly by Tonalist in 2020. She was bred back to Tonalist again for this spring. Kenny Lane brought $55,000 from Robert S. Evans in foal to Quality Road at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale.

Saturday, Tampa Bay Downs
SAM F. DAVIS S.-GIII, $200,000, Tampa Bay Downs, 2-6, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.30, ft.
1–CANDY MAN ROCKET, 118, c, 3, by Candy Ride (Arg)
1st Dam: Kenny Lane, by Forestry
2nd Dam: Vantive, by Mr. Prospector
3rd Dam: Embellished, by Seattle Slew
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($190,000 RNA Wlg '18 KEENOV; $70,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP; $250,000 2yo '20 OBSAPR). O-Frank Fletcher Racing Operations Inc; B-R S Evans (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0, $144,824. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Nova Rags, 118, c, 3, Union Rags–Wishful Splendor, by Smart Strike. ($275,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP). O/B-Michael P Shanley (KY); T-William I Mott. $40,000.
3–Hidden Stash, 118, c, 3, Constitution–Making Mark Money, by Smart Strike. ($50,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-BBN Racing LLC; B-Rhineshire Farm LLC (KY); T-Victoria H Oliver. $20,000.
Margins: 1, NK, 2 3/4. Odds: 3.10, 8.30, 8.50.
Also Ran: Boca Boy, Known Agenda, Lucky Law (Ire), Joe Man Joe, Ricochet, Smiley Sobotka, Last Investment, Millean, Runway Magic. Scratched: Tiz Tact Toe.
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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Get Smokin Sharp Off Layoff, Wins Tampa Bay Stakes

Making his first start since late November, Mary Abeel Sulllivan Revocable Trust's Get Smokin sat just off the lead for the first six furlongs, took command on the turn for home, then drew off comfortably to win Saturday's Grade 3, $175,000 Tampa Bay Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in Oldsmar, Fla.

Ridden by Junior Alvarado, the Thomas Bush-trained 4-year-old gelded son of Get Stormy covered 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:40.75. He returned $10 for the win, his third in 12 starts and second graded stakes triumph.

Eons checked in second, three-quarters of a length behind the winner, with a fast closing Admission Office a neck back in third, Talk or Listen fourth and 5-2 favorite Greyes Creek fifth in the field of 12 older runners.

Usually a front-runner, including his last start when fourth in the G1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar, Get Smokin settled into second when longshot Proven Strategies forged to an early lead. The latter went an opening quarter mile in :22.75, a half in :46.39 and six furlongs in 1:10.65.

Alvarado sent Get Smokin after the pacesetter into the far turn and the gelding spurted away from the field with a strong move at the top of the stretch. He hit the mile marker in 1:34.44 en route to his final clocking.

“I had to get out of there running,” said Alvarado. “He's a fast horse and he likes to be on the lead, but I knew (Proven Strategies) has a lot of speed too, so it wasn't necessary for me to keep going after him and go head-to-head. So I took a hold and my horse came back to me beautifully and relaxed so well. I knew the whole way around I had plenty of horse under me and by the three-eighths pole, when I put him outside and started picking it up, I had plenty of horse left. Turning for home, I was just a passenger and keeping him happy and he started picking it up on his own without me asking, so I knew I was in good shape.”

“We're thrilled,” Bush said. “We were worried about the speed in there and I knew that one horse (pace-setter Proven Strategies) would be a little bit of a thorn in our side today, but (Get Smokin) was ready today. We were pretty confident. (Junior Alvarado) rode a beauty for sure. Our horse was coming into it great, we gave him a little freshening after California and he has really responded since he got to Florida. He's been in the feed tub and we were really hoping he would run this race and he did. We're probably going to hold off on him and hopefully he will be ready for Keeneland. (Owner Mary Abeel Sullivan) lives in Vero Beach and just watched it on TV and she just called and is very excited. She will be 92 on Monday and is thrilled.”

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Curlin Filly Bosses Rivals in Suncoast

Favored at 9-5 while making her return to stakes company in Saturday's Suncoast S. at Tampa Bay Downs, Breeze Easy's Curlin's Catch (Curlin) split horses decisively at the entrance to the home stretch and powered clear to score by daylight.

Beaten for speed in a scratched-down field of seven, the Ontario-bred raced slightly worse than midfield through the opening stages with a couple of rivals behind. Ridden quietly down the backstretch, she caught the eye when rallying between rivals three furlongs out, took an inside path into the lane and ran out a convincing winner. Pacesetting Be Sneaky (Into Mischief) set a moderate tempo and held for second ahead of Il Malocchio (Souper Speedy) in third.

A debut second two-turning over the Woodbine synthetic Oct. 11, the Sam-Son-bred filly was a low-odds fifth in the restricted Princess Elizabeth S. Oct. 31 before getting some time off. The $180,000 KEESEP yearling turned $440,000 OBSAPR breezer made her first appearance on the dirt in a one-mile event at Gulfstream Jan. 3, leading throughout to score by 2 3/4 lengths.

Curlin's Catch is one of three winners from six to race from her dam, Canada's Sovereign Award-winning juvenile filly of 2006. The winner, the 74th at stakes level for her sire, is bred on the very potent cross over A.P. Indy-line mares that has been responsible for the likes of champion Stellar Wind, other Grade I winners Global Campaign and Paris Lights and other graded winners Tenfold, Point of Honor and Malathaat. Catch the Thrill, who RNAd for $180,000 at KEENOV in 2018, produced a full-sister to Curlin's Catch in 2019. She was most recently bred to Curlin's Grade I-winning son Connect.

SUNCOAST S., $100,000, Tampa Bay Downs, 2-6, 3yo, f, 1m 40y, 1:40.89, ft.
1–CURLIN'S CATCH, 118, f, 3, by Curlin
1st Dam: Catch the Thrill (Ch. 2yo Filly-Can, SW, $290,167), by A.P. Indy
1nd Dam: Catch the Ring, by Seeking the Gold
3rd Dam: Radiant Ring, by Halo
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. ($180,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $430,000 2yo '20 OBSAPR). O-Breeze Easy LLC; B-Sam-Son Farm (ON); T-Mark E Casse; J-Antonio A Gallardo. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-1-0, $103,454. *1/2 to Chic Thrill (Smart Strike), SP, $159,375.
2–Be Sneaky, 118, f, 3, Into Mischief–Bella Castani, by Big Brown. O-Lael Stables; B-M Roy Jackson (KY); T-Arnaud Delacour. $20,000.
3–Il Malocchio, 118, f, 3, Souper Speedy–Egbert Bay, by Sligo Bay (Ire). O/B-Franco S Meli (ON); T-Kenneth G McPeek. $10,000.
Margins: 4HF, HF, 3/4. Odds: 1.80, 4.80, 4.00.
Also Ran: Special Princess, Feeling Mischief, Roll Up Mo Money, Scenic Overlook. Scratched: Gulf Coast, Honorifique, Jade Empress.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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