Big Novel, At The Spa Headline Field For Friday’s Soviet Problem

Runner-up behind stablemate Big Switch in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies Nov. 5, Big Novel will stretch to a mile for the first time in the $100,000 Soviet Problem Stakes Friday at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Calif.

Restricted to 2-year-old fillies bred or sired in California, the Soviet Problem attracted nine entrants.

Part of the Golden State Series, the Soviet Problem is the last of eight races. Post time Friday is 12:30 p.m. Pacific. Scheduled post time for the main event is 4:28 p.m.

Owned by breeder George Krikorian and trained by John Sadler, Big Novel was more than six lengths clear of the rest of the field in the Golden State contest at seven furlongs.

A daughter of Mr. Big and the Heatseeker mare Steamy Novel, Big Novel hasn't been worse than third in her four races and has earned $95,850. She broke her maiden Oct. 2 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.

At the Spa will try for her fourth win in five starts for a partnership that includes Tom Beckerle, Saul Carrillo, and breeder Terry Lovingier and trainer Jorge Periban. The Outwork filly out of the Smoke Glacken mare Spa Creek, who suffered her lone loss when last in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante Sept. 5, has banked $165,000 and has stakes victories in the Fasig Tipton Debutante and CTBA.

Four members of the Soviet Problem cast – Dendera, Girl Ranger, Professors' Pride, and Smilin Evie – are coming off wins.

Trained by Sadler for Cicero Farms LLC and breeder Batchelor Family Trust, Dendera was a neck winner as the prohibitive 1-5 favorite in an optional claimer going the Soviet Problem distance on turf Oct. 22.

The win for the Shaman Ghost filly out of the Scat Daddy mare Daddy's Due was her second in three races on grass. She was fifth of 10 in her debut in her lone try on dirt July 16. She's banked $83,200.

Dismissed at 35-1 in her Nov. 7 bow in a $50,000 maiden claimer for California breds, Girl Ranger rolled to a 5 ¼ length win for Marsha Naify and trainer Juan Carlos Lopez, but the daughter of U.S. Ranger is now in the stable of Michael McCarthy.

Out of the Bertrando mare Soul Flyer, Girl Ranger picked up $21,600 for the authoritative score.

Professors' Pride debuted with a one-length victory as the 8-5 second choice Nov. 14 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club in Del Mar, Calif. The Bayern filly out of the Twirling Candy mare Last Resort earned $42,000 for the win for Academic Farms and trainer Eddie Truman.

Trained by Richard Baltas for Panic Stables LLC, Smilin Evie has been away since prevailing by 1 ¼ lengths in her initial try Oct. 24. The Tom's Tribute filly out of the Exchange Rate mare Lady Katfish collected $36,600 for the triumph.

Trainer Walther Solis entered both Madiha and Munny Penny.

Owned by Zahra Madiha, Amanda Navarro, and breeder Lovingier, Madiha is winless in five starts with earnings of $25,880. The daughter of Shaman Ghost and the Great Notion mare Very Few Details finished fifth in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies in her most recent outing.

Owned and bred by Lovingier, Munny Penny will be making her first start since finishing second behind At the Spa in the Fasig Tipton Debutante June 20. The Munnings filly out of the Animal Kingdom mare Northern Song has earned $72,460 while winning once in three races.

The field is completed by Rose Maddox, who was a neck behind Dendera when last seen Oct. 22. The Grazen filly out of the Unusual Heat mare has earned $36,000 for owner-breeder Nick Alexander and trainer Steve Miyadi. Rose Maddox was a first-out winner over the Tapeta surface at Golden Gate Fields in Berkeley, Calif., Sept. 11.

From inside out, the field for the Soviet Problem Stakes: Madiha, Kyle Frey, 117 pounds; Dendera, Flavien Prat, 120; Girl Ranger, Drayden Van Dyke, 120; Professors' Pride, Juan Hernandez, 120; At the Spa, Tyler Baze, 120; Smilin Evie, Ricardo Gonzalez, 120; Rose Maddox, Umberto Rispoli, 124; Munny Penny, Abel Cedillo, 120 and Big Novel, Joe Bravo, 120.

One race earlier, trainer Art Sherman will saddle the final starter of his career when Chasing Alchemy will try to break his maiden against seven other 2-year-old maidens in a $50,000 claimer at six furlongs.

Sherman, 84, who has spent more than 65 years in racing as an exercise rider, jockey, and trainer – which included conditioning two-time Horse of the Year California Chrome – will be honored on his retirement with a video presentation and winner's circle ceremony between races.

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Vibrant Trade at Fasig California Sale

by Dan Ross and Jessica Martini 

The third time proved the charm for the Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearlings Sale, which produced the strongest results in its short three-year history with a session of lively bidding in Pomona Tuesday.

“Today was the most encouraging day we have had in California in a sales environment in the last three years that we've been  involved here,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “There was a dramatic increase in the average and the median doubled from the sale last year and the RNA rate was down. But more important than that was the energy and the enthusiasm that I think everybody could sense at the sale. We felt pretty good with the pre-sale activity Monday and Tuesday morning. So today was very encouraging from that perspective.”

A total of 164 yearlings sold Tuesday for a gross of $6,672,050. The average was $40,683 and the median was $20,000. The buy-back rate was 24%.

During last year's auction, which was displaced to Los Alamitos due to the pandemic, 166 head sold for $3,735,700 for an average of $22,504 and a median of $10,000. The buy-back rate was 35.2%.

At the inaugural California sale in 2019, 137 yearlings grossed $3,667,800 for an average of $26,772 and a median of $13,000.

Seventeen horses sold Tuesday for $100,000 or more, and two sold for $300,000 or more. Tom Beckerle made the auction's highest bid when going to $350,000 to acquire a filly by American Pharoah.

Only three horses brought six figures with a top price of $200,000 in 2020, while in 2019 six yearlings brought six figures with a top price of $150,000.

“First of all, we all have to keep in mind when comparing 2021 to 2020 results, that 2020 was a COVID year and this area was particularly hard hit,” Browning said of the upswing. “And 2020 was very difficult for most businesses, including Thoroughbred auctions. There was a drop off from 2020 compared to 2019, so I think there was some built-in recovery as we have seen in virtually every sale that there was comparable numbers for in 2021 compared to 2020.

Browning continued, “If you look around, the economy is strong and in racing handle is up, purses are up, there is a positive feeling, for the most part, in the racing  industry throughout the United States and that is certainly a factor. And some breeders answered the call and supported us with higher quality horses this year than they have in the past.”

Another Pharoah for Beckerle

Tom Beckerle, who already has a stakes winner by American Pharoah, purchased another filly by the 2015 Triple Crown winner for a sale-topping $350,000 Tuesday at the Fasig-Tipton California sale. The yearling (hip 196) was bred by Terry Lovingier and was consigned by his Lovacres Ranch. In partnership with Lovingier and Amanda Navarro, Beckerle campaigns Fi Fi Pharoah (American Pharoah), who won the Melair S. in June.

“I have some partners that wanted to get an American Pharoah,” Beckerle said. “We liked her for breeding down the road and Fi Fi Pharoah has already made us a couple hundred thousand dollars. We think this one can do the same thing.

We will see what happens.”

Hip 196 is out of the unraced Ez Indy (A.P. Indy), who is a half-sister to champion Banshee Breeze (Unbridled). The mare, in foal to Animal Kingdom, was purchased by Lovingier for $85,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November sale.

Beckerle, based in Fallbrook, California, purchased three other yearlings from the Lovacres Ranch consignment Tuesday. He acquired a colt by Stay Thirsty (hip 134) for $100,000 and a pair of fillies by the GI Travers S. winner (hip 8 and hip 31) for $50,000 each.

Siegel Strikes Early For Practical Joke Filly

Trainer Brian Koriner, bidding on behalf of Samantha Siegel's Jay Em Ess Stable, got the Fasig-Tipton California sale off to a quick start when purchasing a filly by Practical Joke (hip 10) for $300,000. The yearling was consigned by Barton Thoroughbreds and was bred by Richard Barton Enterprises, which purchased her unraced dam Miss Lavinia (Speightstown) for $4,200 at the 2016 Keeneland November sale.

“She is by Practical Joke and she is out of a Speightstown mare,” Koriner said of the yearling's appeal. “She's bred to be very fast and maybe early and precocious.”

The 14-year-old Miss Lavinia is a daughter of Miss Seffens (Dehere), who is also the dam of GII Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner More Than Real (More Than Ready). Miss Lavinia is the dam of graded placed Arch Cat (Arch), as well as the dam of multiple Grade I placed Cassies Dreamer (Flatter).

Jay Em Ess Stable was making its first purchase of the yearling sale season, according to Koriner.

“She is very excited,” he said of Siegel. “She hasn't bought any yearlings all year, she waited and she's very excited to get a Cal-bred by Practical Joke.”

Barton Thoroughbreds also had sales success Tuesday with a filly by Palace Malice (hip 79) who sold for $135,000 to Legacy Ranch. The operation purchased her dam, Smiling Cruise, with this foal in utero, for $22,000 at the 2019 Keeneland November sale.

Nyquist Colt a Classic Purchase

Ocala horsewoman Danzel Brendemuehl returned to her California roots to purchase a colt by Nyquist (hip 83) in the name of her Classic Bloodstock as agent for partners Sasulito and Breckenridge Bloodstock in Pomona Tuesday.

“We loved everything about him,” Brendemuehl said. “He's by Nyquist, he's a California-bred and he's a very nice colt. We are probably  going to pinhook him in a Fasig-Tipton sale–probably Miami.”

Brendemuehl did not rule out a return trip to California for the yearling.

“California needs a 2-year-old sale and Boyd Browning is working real hard with Fasig-Tipton to make it happen,” she said. “If it happens, we'll be here with that colt and we'll top the sale.”

Hip 83 is out of Soul Crusader (Fusaichi Pegasus), a daughter of graded winner Michigan Bluff (Skywalker). He was consigned by Woodbridge Farm and was bred by Bud Petrosian who purchased the mare with this foal in utero for $22,000 at last year's Keeneland January sale.

Also Tuesday, Brendemuehl also purchased a colt by Smiling Tiger (hip 44) for $27,000. Coleen Smith's Breckenridge Bloodstock returned later in the session to acquire a filly by City of Light (hip 208) for $170,000.

Slugo Racing Gets in on the Light'

Steve Gasparelli's Slugo Racing added a colt by in-demand young sire City of Light to its roster when acquiring hip 171 for $260,000 Tuesday in Pomona.

“We like the City of Lights,” Gasparelli, who did his bidding alongside trainer Mike Puype, said. “We think he has a lot of potential as a stallion. And I really liked the way this colt looked, very correct. And the mare has dropped winners already. We only came for a couple and he was on our short list.”

The yearling is out of Chicalelee (Cherokee Run) and is a half-brother to stakes-placed Touchdown Brown (Cairo Prince). He was consigned by Bruno DeBerdt's Excel Bloodstock on behalf of his breeder, PT Syndicate #1 LLC.

Square Eddie Colt to Blacker

Three years ago, Dan Blacker was an underbidder on a yearling by Square Eddie out of North Freeway (Jump Start), but the trainer would not be denied for the colt's full-brother, going to $200,000 Tuesday to acquire hip 30.

“I was underbidder on the brother two years ago to Simon Callaghan, so I am kind of glad that he didn't show up today and I got to buy this one,” Blacker said after signing the ticket on behalf of a partnership of owners.

The bay yearling was bred by Thomas Bachman and was consigned by his Fairview LLC. Stakes-winning North Freeway is already the dam of stakes winner and Grade I placed Take the One O One (Acclamation) and the Callaghan-trained stakes winner Square Deal (Square Eddie).

“He looks really solid,” Blacker, who did his bidding alongside Boomer Bloodstock's Craig Rounsefell, said of the yearling. “He looks like a really sound horse that is going to be fun for our partners. And it's a good family, the mare is great and he really looked really solid soundness wise and soundness is so important these days. Hopefully we will get him to the races at Del Mar next summer and go on from there.”

Impressive Return for Christophersons

Neal and Pam Christopherson, owners of Bar-C Racing Stables, enjoyed a quick return on their investment in the mare Joyce and Me (Discreet Cat) Tuesday. The couple purchased the mare, in foal to Stanford, for just $1,000 at the CTBA January sale in 2020. They sent the mare's Stanford filly (hip 230) through the ring in Pomona to sell for $100,000 to Slugo Racing.

“That's a nice return on the investment. I like to gamble on stuff that looks like that,” Neal Christopherson said.

Joyce and Me produced a filly by Stanford this year and was bred back to Harbor the Gold.

Bar C Racing Stables was already coming off a big score in the sales ring this month. As part of a foal-share, the operation sold a filly by Uncle Mo out of Fresia (El Prado {Ire}) (hip 371) for $700,000 at the Keeneland September sale. The Christophersons purchased Fresia for $35,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November sale. She was carrying subsequent multiple stakes winner Galilean (Uncle Mo) at that auction.

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Thirsty Always Springs Upset In Royal Owl Stakes At Los Alamitos

Thirsty Always upset heavily-favored stablemate Rock N Rye, leading throughout in the $75,000 Royal Owl Stakes, the closing day feature of the Los Angeles County Fair meet at Los Alamitos Race Course in Cypress, Calif.

In his first collaboration with jockey Abel Cedillo, the 2-year-old Stay Thirsty colt out of the Not for Love mare Angela's Love, quickly established command against his four opponents and went on to win by 1 ½ lengths in 1:03.28 for the 5 ½ furlongs.

The 5-1 third choice, he paid $13.00, $3.20, and $2.40. The victory was his third in five starts and pushed his earnings to $147,600 for owners Tom Beckerle, Saul Carrillo, and breeder Terry Lovingier, and trainer Walther Solis.

Rock N Rye, also trained by Solis – as was fifth-place finisher Mr. T's Thirsty – and bred by Lovingier, finished four lengths clear of 18-1 shot Drizella as the 2-5 favorite. He returned $2.20 and $2.10 while the show price on Drizella was $3.40. Carmen Miranda checked in fourth as the 3-1 second choice.

“I was telling (Lovingier) before the race I knew (Rock N Rye) was the favorite, but the way this colt had been acting lately I knew he would give (Rock N Rye) a run for his money,'' said Solis. “When he was able to make the lead, I thought he was gone. He gets brave when he's in front.''

Cedillo said his decision on strategy was made at the start.

“He broke so sharp and (Solis) told me that if he can make the lead to go on with him,'' said Cedillo. “I did and he responded.''

The stakes win was the second of the meet for Cedillo – he had taken the E.B. Johnston via disqualification with Loud Mouth Sept. 11. He wound up the meet's leading rider, giving him his second local title. He also led the standings during the 2020 LACF Winter season.

“It's been great,'' he said. “This is not an easy place to ride because the track is so different and the long stretch, but I got to ride a lot of good horses and they made me look good.''

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At the Spa Shakes Off Competition For Fasig-Tipton Debutante Win

A seven-length first-out maiden winner versus statebreds on May 7, Terry Lovingier's homebred At the Spa made it look easy in open company on Sunday at Santa Anita, as she dispatched of favored Laurel Canyon turning for home en route to a 2 ¼ length score in the $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Debutante Stakes. Trained by Jorge Periban and ridden by Tyler Baze, At the Spa got five furlongs in :59.79.

With Laurel Canyon hustled from her rail post, At the Spa was immediately alongside as the two fillies raced as a team into the far turn. With Baze riding confidently, At the Spa shook loose of her competition a furlong out and proved much the best.

“Today, she had to fight it out a little bit and she prevailed,” said Baze, who also won the day's previous race aboard Restrainedvengence in the Grade 3 American Stakes. “She's matured so much from the first race, she's just getting better. It's going to be a bright future for her.”

Off as the second choice at 9-5 among a field of five juvenile fillies, At the Spa paid $5.80, $3.20, and $2.20.

“I really feel excited because this filly really is a big filly,” said Periban. “Since the beginning, I knew she had so much talent, a lot of ability. I told Baze, before she ran, 'I got something for you.' And he believed me because we're a good team. I had a lot of confidence, mucho. I can't say what it was, but it was something in my heart (that) said today's going to be another win.”

Breeder and co-owner Terry Lovingier was thrilled with At the Spa's performance. “It was so exciting watching them come down. Watching two babies that I bred draw off together was very cool. I wasn't sure if the gray filly was going to get to her or not.”

Owned by Lovingier, Tom Beckerle, and Saul Carrillo, At the Spa is by the Uncle Mo stallion Outwork and is out of the Smoke Glacken mare Spa Creek. With today's winner's share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $107,580.

Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Munny Penny, who loomed ominously while third turning for home, was second-best on the day, finishing three-quarters of a length in front of Laurel Canyon. Off at 6-1, Munny Penny paid $4.80 and $2.60.

Laurel Canyon, a California-bred who broke her maiden at first asking at Gulfstream Park May 13, was ridden by Flavien Prat and paid $2.20 to show while off at odds of 8-5.

Fractions for the race were :22.17 for the first quarter and :46.40 for the half-mile.

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