Todd Pletcher | Horse Racing Free Tips

Fearless Makes Bold Move To Take Harlan’s Holiday At Gulfstream Park

Facing a field that included Mighty Heart, the reigning Canadian Horse of the Year, jockey Luis Saez made a bold move for the lead on the backstretch at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., and never relinquished the front, winning the Grade 3 Harlan's Holiday by a length.

Out of the gate, Mighty Heart established a one-length lead early, with Blue Steel and Fearless stalking down the backstretch. With early fractions of :24.38 and :47.76, Saez sent Fearless to the lead as they approached the far turn, putting a head in front of Mighty Heart as they rounded into the far turn.

Into the stretch, Fearless increased his lead to two lengths as South Bend rallied on the outside, passing Mighty Heart inside the last furlong to take second. At the wire, the margin of victory was four lengths. Blue Steel, Twenty Twice, and Eye of the Jedi rounded out the order of finish.

The final time for the 1 1/16 miles was 1:42.19. Find this race's chart here.

Fearless paid $3.20, $2.40, and $2.10. South Bend paid $4.00 and $2.80. Mighty Heart paid $2.60.

Bred in Kentucky by Helen K. Groves Revocable Trust, Fearless is by Ghostzapper out of the Street Cry (IRE) mare And Why Not. Owned by Repole Stable, the 5-year-old gelding is trained by Todd Pletcher. Consigned by Elite Agent, he was purchased by West Bloodstock, agent for Repole Stables, for $205,000 at the July 2021 Fasig-Tipton Horses of Racing Age Sale. With his win in the G3 Harlan's Holiday, Fearless has two wins in five starts in 2021, for a lifetime record of five wins in 11 starts and career earnings of $576,550.

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American Pharoah’s Sweet Melania Ends Drought in Suwannee River

Robert and Lawana Low's Sweet Melania (American Pharoah), without a victory in 18 months, broke through to record her first win of the 2021 season in Saturday's GIII Suwannee River S. at Gulfstream.

She jumped well from her outside draw in post 10 to chase from second as favored Shifty She (Gone Astray) sped off on a clear advantage. Sweet Melania, off at 6-1, set her sights on the pacesetter beneath John Velazquez at the top of the stretch, hit the front shortly thereafter and had a half-length over that game foe at the wire. It was another half-length back to In a Hurry (Blame) in third.

Sweet Melania, heroine of the 2019 GII JPMorgan Chase Jessamine S. at Keeneland and 2020 GIII Wonder Again S. at Belmont and also the third-place finisher in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita, was winless in five prior tries this season. She hit the board in her three most recent attempts, including a second-place finish in the One Dreamer S. at Kentucky Downs Sept. 9 and another runner-up effort in a Keeneland allowance last time Oct. 15. The chestnut hadn't had her picture taken since the Wonder Again last June.

“She was super sharp coming into it,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “I loved the way she was training and she got a beautiful ride from Johnny. It was a good setup, and I thought she ran a good race. I felt like she had been rounding back into form and had some good performances and just didn't quite get there. She did seem super sharp, and we were hoping for an improved performance.”

Pletcher added that Sweet Melania would be under consideration for the $500,000 GIIII Pegasus Filly & Mare Turf Jan. 29.

Pedigree Notes:

Sweet Melania, a $600,000 KEESEP graduate, is one of 23 stakes winners and 12 graded winners from Triple Crown winner American Pharoah. She is one of 12 stakes winners and three graded winners for broodmare sire Discreet Cat.

The E. Paul Robsham-bred SW & GSP Sweet N Discreet did not produce a foal in 2018 and her 2019 Carpe Diem filly died. She had a Liam's Map colt in 2020 ($200,000 KEESEP purchase by Jackpot Farm) and a filly by American Pharoah this year. She was bred back to Tapit.

Sweet N Discreet, a $1.1-million purchase by Crupi's New Castle Farm on behalf of Sweet Melania's breeder St. Elias Stables at the 2014 FTKNOV sale, brought $1.6 million from Mt. Brilliant Farm, in foal to Liam's Map, at Fasig-Tipton November in 2019.

Sweet N Discreet is a full-sister to GSW and GISP Discreet Dancer and a half to GSW Travelin Man (Trippi).

Saturday, Gulfstream
SUWANNEE RIVER S.-GIII, $100,000, Gulfstream, 12-18, 3yo/up, f/m, 1mT, :00.00, fm.
1–SWEET MELANIA, 121, f, 4, by American Pharoah
                1st Dam: Sweet N Discreet (SW & GSP, $366,447), by Discreet Cat
                2nd Dam: West Side Dancer, by Gone West
                3rd Dam: Bering Cruise, by Danzig
   ($600,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Lawana L. & Robert E. Low;
B-St. Elias Stables, LLC (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-John R.
Velazquez. $57,660. Lifetime Record: GISP, 15-4-4-4,
$571,210. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for
   the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Shifty She, 125, m, 5, Gone Astray–Perilous Hope, by
Strong Hope. O-Pedigree Partners LLC; B-Chris Pallas &
George Klein (FL); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. $18,600.
3–In a Hurry, 121, f, 4, Blame–Scampering, by Afleet Alex.
1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Stuart S.
Janney, III LLC (KY); T-Claude R. McGaughey III. $9,300.
Margins: HF, HF, 2HF. Odds: 6.80, 2.30, 5.90.
Also Ran: Keeper of Time (Ire), Summering, Kelsey's Cross, Alms, Dawn's Dancer, Princess Causeway, Classic Lady, Quiet Company, La Babia.
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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Sweet Melania Regains Graded Stakes Winning Form In Suwannee River

The last time Sweet Melania had her picture taken was nearly 18 months ago at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y. In the intervening months since then, the daughter of American Pharoah has had four in-the-money finishes, but no wins. In the Grade 3 Suwannee River Stakes, Sweet Melania stalked Shifty She throughout the first six furlongs and rallied in the stretch to get her first victory of 2021.

In a capacity field of 12, Sweet Melania broke well, with jockey John Velazquez putting her in second behind the favorite Shifty She, who took the lead from the break. Through early fractions of :25.91 for the first quarter and :48.4 for the half-mile, Shifty She had a comfortable three-length lead over Sweet Melania and In a Hurry down the backstretch. Velazquez moved his filly into contention as they entered the far turn, pulling within striking distance of Shifty She entering the stretch.

Down the Gulfstream straight, the two fillies dueled down the first half of the stretch, but Sweet Melania was able to get a head in front within the last furlong to hit the wire a half-length in front. Shifty She held off a rallying In a Hurry to finish second.

The final time for the one-mile G3 stakes was 1:36.40. Find this race's chart here.

Sweet Melania paid $15.60, $7.00, and $4.80. Shifty She paid $4.40 and $3.00. In a Hurry paid $4.20.

“She was super sharp coming into it. I loved the way she was training and she got a beautiful ride from Johnny. It was a good setup, and I thought she ran a good race. I felt like she had been rounding back into form and had some good performances and just didn't quite get there. She did seem super sharp, and we were hoping for an improved performance,” trainer Todd Pletcher said after the race.

“The first time I rode her she broke well and I was trying to get her back. She was kind of keen and the other horse next to me was pushing the whole way, and she never really got to relax. Last time she relaxed a little bit behind a couple horses in front, so I thought maybe she wants to do that and have a better finish. Although she just got beat last time out, she ran a really good race,” jockey John Velazquez said after the G3 Suwannee River.

“Today I was just trying to do the same thing, if I could get behind somebody. It was perfect. When I let her go, she responded right away. Obviously, the horse in front is a very tough horse to beat, but I didn't want to let it be too easy. I got to her at the three-eighths pole and I knew I probably had her but on the other hand, I don't want to let her go too easy and get caught by somebody else from behind. It feels good to win a race like this.”

Bred in Kentucky by St. Elias Stables, Sweet Melania is a 4-year-old filly out of the Discreet Cat mare Sweet N Discreet. She is owned by Robert and Lawana Low. Sweet Melania was consigned by Gainesway and purchased by West Bloodstock and her owners for $600,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. With her win in the G3 Suwannee River, the filly has one win in six starts in 2021 for a lifetime record of four wins in 15 starts and career earnings of $571,210.

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Arrogate Filly Impresses Against Florida-breds

10th-Gulfstream, $53,000, (S), Msw, 12-16, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:17.21, ft, 8 lengths.
AVOW (f, 2, Arrogate–Peace Preserver {GSW, $382,166}, by War Front) loomed large on pedigree and price tag against this Florida-bred bunch and with an upbeat tab on display, and dominated at even-money to kick off her career auspiciously. Away awkwardly to be last early, the bay split horses and came into the frame as the leading group looked taxed following a :45.55 half. Avow swung wide for clear sailing, took over with ease in upper stretch and poured it on from there to prevail by eight lengths. Sheza Spitfire (He's Had Enough) did well to hang on for second after showing the way. The 11th winner from the first crop of her late sire (by Unbridled's Song), Avow's GSW dam is a full to GISW Jack Milton. Bridlewood purchased Peach Preserver for $1.9 million in foal to Galileo (Ire) at the 2014 Keeneland November sale. Her yearling colt by More Than Ready bought $30,000 at FTKOCT, and she most recently visited Authentic. Sales history: $300,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $31,800. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Bass Stables, LLC; B-Bridlewood Farm (FL); T-Todd A. Pletcher.

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