The Avengers | Horse Racing Free Tips

Messier Bounces Back and Blows Them Away in Bob Lewis

Messier gave trainer Bob Baffert and jockey John Velazquez their second dominant graded winner of the afternoon when he flew home an unchallenged victor of the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. at Santa Anita Sunday. Shedding the blinkers after getting outkicked in the Dec. 11 GII Los Alamitos Futurity last time out, the 3-5 favorite tugged his way to the fore with little encouragement from Velazquez. Second choice Sir London (Malibu Moon) chased the pace with longshot Cabo Spirit latched on the top two while racing three deep. Sir London was first to blink as Cabo Spirit did his best to keep pace rounding the home bend, but there was no running down Messier, who galloped home by 15 lengths as nobody from the back made any impact.

Messier is the fourth straight Lewis winner for Baffert, but like his stablemate Adare Manor who won the GIII Las Virgenes S. earlier on Sunday's card, the colt was ineligible to collect the race's qualifying Kentucky Derby points due to the trainer's current ban at Churchill Downs.
Second in his five-furlong debut at Los Alamitos last June, Messier returned four months later and was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following his 6 1/2-length romp going six furlongs at Santa Anita Oct. 22. He followed up with a win in the Nov. 14 GIII Bob Hope S. at Del Mar, but was second as the 1-5 favorite behind Slow Down Andy (Nyquist) in the Dec. 11 GII Los Alamitos Futurity last time out.

Pedigree Notes:
Checkered Past, a two-time stakes winner for breeder Sam-Son Farm, produced a filly by Candy Ride (Arg) in 2021 and was bred back to GI Kentucky Derby winner Authentic. The 12-year-old mare sold to Silesia Farm for $290,000 as part of the Sam-Son dispersal at last year's Keeneland January sale.
Messier's second dam is the unraced Catch the Flag (A.P. Indy), a full-sister to Canadian champion Catch the Thrill (A.P. Indy).

Sunday, Santa Anita
ROBERT B. LEWIS S.-GIII, $200,000, Santa Anita, 2-6, 3yo,
1 1/16m, 1:42.89, ft.
1–MESSIER, 120, c, 3, by Empire Maker
1st Dam: Checkered Past (MSW, $334,284), by Smart Strike
2nd Dam: Catch the Flag, by A.P. Indy
3rd Dam: Catch the Ring, by Seeking the Gold
'TDN Rising Star' ($470,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL). O-SF Racing LLC,
Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E. Masterson,
Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine M.
Donovan, Golconda Stable & Siena Farm LLC; B-Sam-Son Farm
(ON); T-Bob Baffert; J-John R. Velazquez. $120,000. Lifetime
Record: 5-3-2-0, $285,600. Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Cabo Spirit, 124, c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Fancy Day (Ire), by
Shamardal. ($145,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP; $575,000 2yo '21
OBSAPR). O-Kretz Racing LLC; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY);
T-George Papaprodromou. $40,000.
3–Wharton, 120, c, 3, Candy Ride (Arg)–Her Smile, by Include.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($475,000 Ylg '20
KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables
LLC, Robert E. Masterson, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge
Capital LLC, Catherine M. Donovan, Golconda Stable & Siena
Farm LLC; B-KatieRich Farms (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $24,000.
Margins: 15, 7, 4HF. Odds: 0.60, 18.20, 4.40.
Also Ran: Sir London, Happy Jack. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Violence’s Newgrange Stays Perfect in Southwest

Just minutes after his high-profile ownership conglomerate suffered a relative disappointment when running second, third and fourth with 60% of the field in the GII San Vicente S. at Santa Anita, unbeaten Newgrange (Violence) found his best stride late to justify 3-2 favoritism in Oaklawn's $750,000 GIII Southwest S.

Entering off a debut sprint win Nov. 28 and front-running GIII Sham S. tally at Santa Anita Jan. 1, the handsome dark bay broke well and took the first turn perched three deep. He dropped back a bit while still kept out into the track as the field spread out down the backside, and seemed to be spinning his wheels on the second bend as other rivals moved up inside of him. Hall of Famer John Velazquez was hard at work getting his mount going into a six-furlong split of 1:12.42, and pacesetting longshot Kavod (Lea) looked like he might forget to stop at the top of the lane. The cavalry charge kept plugging away, however, and Newgrange finally leveled off in the final sixteenth to emerge, displaying a powerful stride that none could match and crossing the line 1 1/2 lengths to the good. Barber Road (Race Day) closed well down the center to complete his third-straight stakes exacta, having previously finished second in the Smarty Jones S. here on New Year's Day. Smarty Jones winner Dash Attack (Munnings) was a disappointing and even fifth as the second choice.

“We saw he had a different dimension today, the way the race set up,” said trainer Bob Baffert, who tied Bob Holthus's record five wins in this event and has typically been particularly dangerous in Oaklawn's Triple Crown preps. “Pretty proud of the way he ran. Johnny said he was struggling with the track a little bit earlier and I could tell that. Usually, he's on the lead. But all the way down the backside he was in a good spot. You never know, but he showed some real grit down the stretch to win that race. Love going to Oaklawn Park and winning those big races. It was pretty exciting to watch, the stretch. He'll come back to California and we'll figure out our next move.”

Newgrange did not earn any GI Kentucky Derby qualifying points Saturday due to Churchill Downs's policy of not awarding any points to a horse conditioned by a trainer currently banned from racing at the Louisville oval.

Saturday, Oaklawn Park
SOUTHWEST S.-GIII, $750,000, Oaklawn, 1-29, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:45.83, ft.
1–NEWGRANGE, 122, c, 3, by Violence
1st Dam: Bella Chianti, by Empire Maker
2nd Dam: Bella Chiarra, by Phone Trick
3rd Dam: Bannockburn, by Count Brook
($125,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay A Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine Donovan, Golconda Stable, Siena Farm LLC; B-Jack Mandato & Black Rock Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-John R Velazquez. $450,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $552,000. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Barber Road, 117, c, 3, Race Day–Encounter, by Southern Image. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($15,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV). O-WSS Racing LLC; B-Susan Forrester & Judy Curry (KY); T-John Alexander Ortiz. $150,000.
3–Ben Diesel, 117, c, 3, Will Take Charge–Girls Secret, by Giant's Causeway. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Willis Horton Racing LLC (KY); T-Dallas Stewart. $75,000.
Margins: 1HF, 1 1/4, 2 3/4. Odds: 1.50, 11.80, 5.00.
Also Ran: Kavod, Dash Attack, Classic Moment, Call Me Jamal, Osbourne, Costa Terra, Vivar, Ignitis, Don'tcrossthedevil. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:
The second-least-expensive of 28 colts purchased for a combined $11,250,000 ($401,786 average) by the Avengers at the 2020 Keeneland September sale, Newgrange is one of Violence's 13 graded stakes winners. The Avengers have also shown an affinity for, and had significant success with, sire Empire Maker. The excellent broodmare sire influence is responsible for the dams of 30 graded winners, including 2021 GISWs Silver State (Hard Spun), Mandaloun (Into Mischief) and Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}). The winner's unraced dam is a daughter of Grade II winner Bella Chiarra (Phone Trick). She produced another Violence colt last April before being bred to War of Will.

The post Violence’s Newgrange Stays Perfect in Southwest appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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‘New’ Year, Same Story in Sham

Already with a record seven GIII Sham S. trophies, including the two prior runnings and three of the last four, trainer Bob Baffert and the ever-present ownership group nicknamed The Avengers celebrated another big score Saturday at Santa Anita with front-running Newgrange (Violence). The handsome dark bay earned an 80 Beyer Speed Figure for a 1 1/2-length debut tally at Del Mar Nov. 28 over pricey and highly regarded Got Thunder (Arrogate), who was second to newly minted Avengers-owned 'TDN Rising Star' Wharton (Candy Ride {Arg}) Friday afternoon.

Away as the third choice at 5-2 behind GIII Nashua S.-winning stablemate Rockefeller (Medaglia d'Oro) and surprisingly well-backed GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf third Mackinnon (American Pharoah), Newgrange broke in concert with Rockefeller before taking a narrow edge into the first turn under Hall of Famer John Velazquez. He cruised along at a comfortable tempo through splits of :24.46 and :48.94, and was given his cue to quicken near the 3/8 pole. Rockefeller couldn't keep pace, and Mackinnon tried to get going over the unfamiliar surface, but nobody was getting to Newgrange as he floated under the line an 2 3/4-length winner. Rockefeller narrowly held second from late-running GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile fifth Oviatt Class (Bernardini).

“There was one speed, the other Bob Baffert horse (Rockefeller) and I'm pretty sure he didn't want them in a head and head,” Velazquez said. “He told me to put my horse on the lead. Once my horse got to the lead he waited. I took a little hold of him and he kind of started waiting for the horses, so I started waiting for the horses to come to him, by the time we got to the backside I kind of let him do his own thing. I let him get in a comfortable rhythm, after that it was pretty easy though.

“He's so green, he feels like he got on by himself, he was waiting for horses so, I had to give him a little reminder to keep his mind on running and his gallop out was pretty good so it still seems like he's learning.”

A version of this same ownership group spearheaded by SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables took the 2020 running of the Sham with eventual GI Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year Authentic (Into Mischief).

“He looked good,” Baffert said of Newgrange. “He had been training really well and working together with Rockefeller. The quality is there. I'm happy we have a great team and we are moving forward with him. I thought Rockefeller would be a little closer. We'll have to figure things out on where the two go from here.”

Saturday, Santa Anita
SHAM S.-GIII, $100,000, Santa Anita, 1-1, 3yo, 1m, 1:38.32, ft.
1–NEWGRANGE, 120, c, 3, by Violence
1st Dam: Bella Chianti, by Empire Maker
2nd Dam: Bella Chiarra, by Phone Trick
3rd Dam: Bannockburn, by Count Brook
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($125,000
Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Golconda Stable, Madaket Stables LLC, SF
Racing LLC, Siena Farm LLC, Starlight Racing, Stonestreet
Stables LLC, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine Donovan,
Robert E Masterson & Jay A Schoenfarber; B-Jack Mandato &
Black Rock Thoroughbreds (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-John R
Velazquez. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $102,000. Click
for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating:
A+.
2–Rockefeller, 124, c, 3, Medaglia d'Oro–Dance to Bristol, by
Speightstown. ($750,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Golconda Stable,
Madaket Stables LLC, SF Racing LLC, Siena Farm LLC, Starlight
Racing, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Waves Edge Capital LLC,
Catherine Donovan, Robert E Masterson & Jay A Schoenfarber;
B-Colts Neck Stables LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $20,000.
3–Oviatt Class, 120, c, 3, Bernardini–Occasionally, by Tiznow.
($37,000 Wlg '19 KEENOV; $60,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-James E
Downey; B-Godolphin & Morgan's Ford Farm (VA); T-J Keith
Desormeaux. $12,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, NO, 3/4. Odds: 2.70, 1.50, 4.20.
Also Ran: Mackinnon, Degree of Risk. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs, or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

Pedigree Notes:
The second-least-expensive of 28 colts purchased for a combined $11,250,000 ($401,786 average) by the Avengers at the 2020 Keeneland September sale, Newgrange becomes Violence's 13th graded stakes winner. The Avengers have also shown an affinity for, and had significant success with, sire Empire Maker. The excellent broodmare sire influence is responsible for 30 graded winners, including 2021 GISWs Silver State (Hard Spun), Mandaloun (Into Mischief) and Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}). The winner's unraced dam is a daughter of Grade II winner Bella Chiarra (Phone Trick). She produced another Violence colt last April before being bred to War of Will.

The post ‘New’ Year, Same Story in Sham appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Candy Ride Colt Graduates a ‘Rising Star’ at Santa Anita

Though he was a bit chilly on the board for a Bob Baffert-trained, John Velazquez-ridden, $475,000 KEESEP buy by the powerful ownership conglomerate nicknamed The Avengers, Wharton (Candy Ride {Arg}–Her Smile, by Include) earned 'TDN Rising Star'-dom all the same Friday as he left a highly regarded second timer in his wake at Santa Anita. Stablemate McLaren Vale (Gun Runner) had taken the first of split sprint divisions two races earlier by a length in 1:17.81, but this looked like the stronger group on paper, in large part due to the presence of odds-on Got Thunder (Arrogate), the $750,000 OBSAPR grad who was second on debut at Del Mar to another Avengers representative and GIII Sham S. entrant Newgrange (Violence). Off as the 4-1 second choice with teammate Armagnac (Quality Road) given a 5-1 chance, Wharton broke cleanly enough from the rail and stalked from the pocket with Got Thunder to his outside. Armagnac soon joined the chasing fray farther out, and Wharton poked a head in front in the vicinity of the 3/8 pole. Got Thunder tried to move to even terms with Wharton as they neared the straight, but Wharton lengthened his stride, found another gear and glided home a 5 1/4-length victor, stopping the clock in 1:17.52. Got Thunder held off Armagnac for second.

The winner is out of 2011 GI Prioress S. winner Her Smile (Include), who sold to KatieRich Farms for $1.5 million at the 2015 Keeneland November sale while carrying Pink Sands (Tapit), MGSW, $490,800. Her Smile's recent produce includes an Arrogate colt of 2020 and a More Than Ready filly of 2021. She was most recently bred to Justify.

6th-Santa Anita, $67,500, Msw, 12-31, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:17.52, gd, 5 1/4 lengths.
WHARTON, c, 2, Candy Ride (Arg)
                1st Dam: Her Smile (GISW, $462,314), by Include
                2nd Dam: Hepburn, by Capote
                3rd Dam: Favored Lady, by Fappiano
Sales history: $475,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $40,200. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Golconda Stable, Madaket Stables LLC, SF Racing LLC, Siena Farm LLC, Starlight Racing, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine Donovan, Robert E. Masterson & Jay A. Schoenfarber; B-KatieRich Farms (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

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