Top News | Horse Racing Free Tips

Karakontie’s Spendarella Wins For Fun in Del Mar Oaks

Gainesway Stable's Spendarella (Karakontie {Jpn}), a huge second in the G1 Coronation S. at Royal Ascot June 17, put on a show in Saturday evening's GI Del Mar Oaks.

Favored at 6-5 after suffering her first career defeat overseas, the New York-bred stalked the early leaders in third, hit the gas while three wide on the far turn, and kicked clear impressively in the stretch to win for fun by 4 1/2 lengths over Bellabel (Ire) (Belardo {Ire}).

Spendarella began her career with three straight victories, including Gulfstream's GIII Herecomesthebride S. Mar. 5 and Keeneland's GII Appalachian S. Apr. 9.

Pedigree Notes:

Spendarella is the first Grade I winner for GI Breeders' Cup Mile victor Karakontie, who resides in her owner/breeder Gainesway's stallion barn. She is a half-sister to GI American Oaks winner Spanish Queen (Tribal Rule) and a full to MSW & MGSP Spanish Loveaffair. Gainesway acquired her dam Spanish Bunny for $130,000 at the 2015 KEENOV sale. Spanish Loveaffair was her second foal for Antony Beck's operation and she brought $775,000 at the 2021 KEENOV sale. Spendarella came next and was followed by the now 2-year-old filly Spanish Destiny (Destin). Spanish Bunny failed to get back in foal to Destin for 2021, but had an Uncle Mo colt Feb. 17 of this year. She was bred back to both Quality Road and Karakontie.

Saturday, Del Mar
DEL MAR OAKS-GI, $304,000, Del Mar, 8-20, 3yo, f, 1 1/8mT, 1:47.09, fm.
1–SPENDARELLA, 122, f, 3, by Karakontie (Jpn)
                1st Dam: Spanish Bunny, by Unusual Heat
                2nd Dam: Spanish Beam, by El Gran Senor
                3rd Dam: Solar Beam, by Majestic Light
1ST GRADE I WIN. ($220,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Gainesway
Stable (Antony Beck); B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd. (NY);
T-H. Graham Motion; J-Tyler Gaffalione. $180,000. Lifetime
Record: 5-4-1-0, $596,459. *Full to Spanish Loveaffair, MSW &
MGSP, $284,090; 1/2 to Spanish Queen (Tribal Rule), GISW,
$423,600. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Werk Nick Rating: A+.
2–Bellabel (Ire), 122, f, 3, by Belardo (Ire)
                1st Dam: Fashion Line (Ire), by Cape Cross (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Shadow Roll (Ire), by Mark of Esteem (Ire)
                3rd Dam: Warning Shadows (Ire), by Cadeaux Genereux (GB)
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. (€33,000 Ylg '20 TATFB). O-Agave Racing
Stable, Benowitz Family Trust, CYBT, Michael Nentwig & Ray
Pagano; B-Fergus Cousins (IRE); T-Philip D'Amato. $60,000.
3–Cairo Memories, 122, f, 3, by Cairo Prince
                1st Dam: Incarnate Memories, by Indian Charlie
                2nd Dam: Witness Post, by Gone West
                3rd Dam: Most Likely, by Fappiano
'TDN Rising Star'. ($50,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-David A.
Bernsen, LLC & Schroeder Farms LLC; B-Brereton C. Jones (KY);
T-Robert B. Hess, Jr. $36,000.
Margins: 4HF, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 1.20, 3.70, 4.60.
Also Ran: Tezzaray (GB), Ballet Dancing, Lucky Girl (Ire), Lady Clementine (GB), Sixteen Arches (Ire), Island of Love (Ire), Txope (Fr), Gold Dragon Queen, Lady T, Gracelund Gray. Scratched: Rhea Moon (Ire).
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Karakontie’s Spendarella Wins For Fun in Del Mar Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Mendelssohn’s Classical Cat Springs The Upset At Del Mar

5th-Del Mar, $81,500, Msw, 8-20, 2yo, 5 1/2f, 1:03.95, ft, 2 1/2 lengths.
CLASSICAL CAT (c, 2, Mendelssohn–Conquest Strate Up {SW, $192,984}, by Not Bourbon), away as the second choice at odds of 5-1 for his career bow, broke a bit to his right from the widest post before settling in to stalk the pace while racing five wide up the backstretch. Tucked in to save ground along the rail as they raced around the turn, he inched up on the dueling leaders and was tipped out three deep to launch his challenge passing the quarter pole. He gained an advantage in upper stretch, darted clear into the final eighth and was kept under a drive to the line to win by 2 1/2 lengths. Hejazi (Bernardini), the $3.55 million Fasig-Tipton Midlantic topper, was off a half-step slowly, led briefly and was eased back to race behind the leaders to the turn. Eased out in upper stretch, the New York-bred chased gamely but was forced to settle for second as the 2-5 favorite. Classical Cat, the ninth winner for his freshman sire (by Scat Daddy), hails from the extended female family of dual horse of the year and leading sire Curlin (Smart Strike). His dam is also responsible for the 3-year-old filly Freedom Isnt Free (Practical Joke) a yearling filly by Hard Spun and a weanling colt by Tiz the Law. She was bred back to Tiz the Law for the 2023 season. Classical Cat's owner Michael House is also a partner on Saturday's GI Alabama S. romper Nest (Curlin). Sales History: $65,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $48,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Michael House; B-Pippa's Hurricane LLC (KY); T-Philip D'Amato.

The post Mendelssohn’s Classical Cat Springs The Upset At Del Mar appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Nest Dominates Alabama

Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House's Nest (Curlin) left little doubt who the best 3-year-old filly in the country is with a second straight tour-de-force victory over GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Secret Oath (Arrogate) in Saturday's GI Alabama S. at Saratoga.

The overwhelming 1-5 favorite wasn't off to the smoothest of beginnings, bobbling slightly and bumping with longshot Nostalgic (Medaglia d'Oro) at the start. It didn't seem to matter one bit once the 1 1/4-mile journey was officially underway with Nest finding a perfect spot in a stalking third rounding the clubhouse turn.

Up a slot into second behind longshot leader She's Keen (Keen Ice) and traveling like a winner every step, Nest hit the front outside the five-sixteenths marker with jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. taking multiple looks in the rearview mirror. He had a very good view of the aforementioned Oaks winner, who was beginning to make her move at the quarter pole and the stage was set for the highly anticipated rubber match. Or so it seemed.

Nest floated out Secret Oath about six wide at the top of the stretch and absolutely exploded once straightened from there, displaying an electrifying turn of foot to win going away by a geared-down 4 1/4 lengths.

“That was a special performance today,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “To see her come back and it seemed like she hardly drew a deep breath. I was a little concerned at the start, she got away in a bit of a tangle. I was hoping we'd get a good position and we ended up getting the position that we wanted. It was a little hairy for the first couple of strides, but after that it was all her.”

A jaw-dropping winner of Keeneland's GI Central Bank Ashland S. Apr. 8, Nest was two lengths behind Secret Oath as the favorite on the first Friday in May beneath the Twin Spires May 6. She showed her class after stumbling at the start with another second-place finish, this time against the boys, in the final leg of the Triple Crown in the GI Belmont S. June 11. Nest entered the Alabama following a 12 1/4-length powerhouse victory over Secret Oath in the GI Coaching Club American Oaks at the Spa July 23.

“It's at the point now where that's what you expect from her,” Pletcher said. “It takes a little while to build a resume like that, but she's run well in every start of her life and I thought this was a special performance today. We've run a lot of horses in the Belmont and I don't think I've ever had one come out as well as she did.”

Nest was also under consideration for another shot at males in next Saturday's GI Runhappy Travers S. before landing on the Alabama.

“This is a really, really good filly and we put her in the right spot today,” winning co-owner Mike Repole said. “I know everyone wanted the Travers, but she's an Eclipse Award winner now, I think, and I think this is the right route for her and we did what was right for the horse.”

As for what's next, Pletcher added, “Obviously, the Breeders' Cup is the main target, so now we have to figure out if we want to run once in between now and then or how we'll do it. We'll assess how she comes out of it first and come up with a game plan.”

Pedigree Notes:

One of Curlin's 18 Grade I winners, $350,000 Keeneland September graduate Nest is the second straight daughter of the two-time Horse of the Year to annex the Alabama, joining her stablemate and 2021 champion 3-year-old filly Malathaat, who is also out of an A.P. Indy mare.

Curlin's fellow top-level winners Clairiere and Paris Lights are out of mares by top broodmare sire Bernardini, and Nest's stakes-winning dam Marion Ravenwood is bred on the same cross as Bernardini, being out of a Quiet American mare herself.

In addition to Nest and 2021 GI Santa Anita H. hero Idol, Marion Ravenwood is responsible for $275,000 KEESEP '21 yearling Lost Ark (Violence), who took his unveiling by 5 1/2 lengths for Pletcher and Harrell Ventures earlier this summer at Belmont. Out of GSW/GISP and $2.5-million FTKNOV seller Andujar, Marion Ravenwood was bred to Curlin for 2023.

Saturday, Saratoga
ALABAMA S.-GI, $600,000, Saratoga, 8-20, 3yo, f, 1 1/4m, 2:03.14, ft.
1–NEST, 121, f, 3, by Curlin
1st Dam: Marion Ravenwood (SW, $112,598), by A.P. Indy
2nd Dam: Andujar, by Quiet American
3rd Dam: Nureyev's Best, by Nureyev
($350,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Michael House; B-Ashview Farm & Colts Neck Stables (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; J-Irad Ortiz, Jr.. $330,000. Lifetime Record: 9-6-2-1, $1,735,550. *1/2 to Dr Jack (Pioneerof the Nile), MSP, $156,155; Full to Idol, GISW, $426,964. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Secret Oath, 121, f, 3, by Arrogate
1st Dam: Absinthe Minded (MSW & MGISP, $607,747), by Quiet American
2nd Dam: Rockford Peach, by Great Above
3rd Dam: Strawberry Skyline, by Hatchet Man
O-Briland Farm; B-Briland Farm, Robert & Stacy Mitchell (KY); T-D. Wayne Lukas. $120,000.
3–Goddess of Fire, 121, f, 3, by Mineshaft
1st Dam: Feel That Fire (SW, $147,280), by Lightnin N Thunder
2nd Dam: Ubetwereven, by French Deputy
3rd Dam: Raysor Lake, by Private Account
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. O/B-Red Oak Stable (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $72,000.
Margins: 4 1/4, 2, 2. Odds: 0.35, 4.80, 22.00.
Also Ran: Skratch Kat, Gerrymander, Nostalgic, She's Keen.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Nest Dominates Alabama appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Echo Again Becomes Sixth Rising Star for Gun Runner

Echo Again (Gun Runner) was no secret coming into this debut and ran to the hype, becoming the latest 'TDN Rising Star' for his sensational young sire with an eye-catching graduation at Saratoga. Away quickest of all from the center stall, the 3-5 chalk seized the early advantage and seemed well within himself as he coasted along through opening splits of :22.39 and :45.66. Turning for home with a head of steam, the gray opened up with ease while under a hand ride from Ricardo Santana, Jr. to win for fun by 6 3/4 lengths. Summonyourcourage (Practical Joke) was best of the rest in second. The Winchell homebred is the sixth 'TDN Rising Star' for last year's leading freshman sire and Horse of the Year Gun Runner, who was campaigned by the same connections.

Echo Again is a fourth generation Winchell homebred. Current stable principal Ron Winchell's father, Verne Winchell, acquired and campaigned the colt's fourth dam Carol's Christmas (Whitesburg) back in the early eighties. The winner's SP dam Teardrop also walked the Asmussen shedrow, as have her older offspring SW & GSP Pneumatic (Uncle Mo) and SP Costa Terra (Gun Runner). Teardrop is a half-sister to GI Forego S. winner and sire Pyro (Pulpit), GSW War Echo (Tapit), SW & G1SP Farrier (Tapit), and MSW & GSP Longview Drive (Pulpit). The 11-year-old mare produced a filly by these connections' Copper Bullet in 2021 and had a Gun Runner colt Apr. 24 of this year. She returned to that dual Eclipse Winner this season.

7th-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 8-20, 2yo, 6 1/2f, 1:15.89, ft,
6 3/4 lengths.
ECHO AGAIN, c, 2, by Gun Runner
                1st Dam: Teardrop (SP), by Tapit
                2nd Dam: Wild Vision, by Wild Again
                3rd Dam: Carol's Wonder, by Pass the Tab
Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $57,750. O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. *1/2 to Pneumatic (Uncle Mo), SW & GSP, $275,390. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree, or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

The post Echo Again Becomes Sixth Rising Star for Gun Runner appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post