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Mutamakina Rules the Lawn at Woodbine

Al Shira'aa Farms' Mutamakina (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) returned to the site of her win in the GII Dance Smartly S. two months ago to capture the GI E.P. Taylor S. and secure the win in the Ladies of the Lawn series at Woodbine Sunday. The 8-1 shot, four wide into the first turn, tracked pacesetting Kalifornia Queen (Ger) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) who set a pedestrian pace over the rain-soaked turf course. Mutamakina eyeballed the pacesetter entering the stretch, while a host of rivals piled up to her outside and a pair of foes snuck through the inside as Kalifornia Queen drifted out in upper stretch. Mutamakina finally got the best of the stubborn pacesetter in deep stretch before grimly holding off her late-closing stablemate La Dragontea (GB) (Lopa de Vega {Ire}) to win by a neck and give trainer Christophe Clement the one-two finish in the 1 1/4-mile race.

“She ran well over here about a month ago and we saw an opportunity again to bring her out here,” said winning rider Dylan Davis. “Christophe, first off, did a great job of getting her here. I've been breezing her, setting up for this race, and she's been breezing well and maintained herself and we knew that she would be tough coming here.”

Dylan continued, “She handled everything great. Last time she put herself in a great position laying second. Today, again, she got her nerves going a little bit more than previously, but she put herself in a great position putting herself second. We slowed down the pace and she was handling it well for me and I just needed her to finish strong. Once she got a head in front there at eighth pole she was digging in nicely. She handled the turf well today.”

Launched in 2019, Woodbine's Ladies of the Lawn series is a points-based bonus series which began with the Aug. 22 Dance Smartly S. and was followed by the Sept. 18 GII Canadian S. won by La Dragontea. Mutamakina's two wins in the series earned her own a $50,000 bonus.

Mutamakina, twice group-placed in France in 2019, shipped stateside last autumn and was third in the 1 1/2-mile Zagora S. at Belmont Oct. 31 before concluding the season with a win in the 1 3/8-mile GIII Long Island S. She opened 2021 with a runner-up effort in the May 1 GII Sheepshead Bay S. She bested E.P. Taylor favorite Etoile (Fr) (Siyouni {Fr}) by a half-length in the Dance Smartly last time out.

Pedigree Notes:

Mutamakina's third dam is champion Ridgewood Pearl (GB), who won the 1995 GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Belmont Park. Her dam, Joshua's Princess, produced a colt by Camelot (Ire) this year. Her 2-year-old full-brother sold for 16,000gns at last year's Tattersalls October sale.

Mutamakina joins Steel Prince (Ire) and Precious Ramotswe (GB) as group winners by Nathaniel out of Danehill mares. Nathaniel is also the sire of Group 1 winners Enable (GB)–two-time winner of the Arc–God Given (GB), Lady Bowthorpe (GB) and Channel (Ire).

Sunday, Woodbine

E. P. TAYLOR S.-GI, C$602,000, Woodbine, 10-17, 3yo/up, f/m,
1 1/4mT, 2:09.14, yl.
1–MUTAMAKINA (GB), 124, m, 5, by Nathaniel (Ire)
                1st Dam: Joshua's Princess (GB), by Danehill
                2nd Dam: Josh's Pearl (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
                3rd Dam: Ridgewood Pearl (GB), by Indian Ridge (Ire)
   1ST GRADE I WIN. (100,000gns Ylg '17 TAOCT). O-Al Shira'aa
Farms; B-Widgham Stud (GB); T-Christophe Clement; J-Dylan
Davis. C$360,000. Lifetime Record: SW & MGSP-Fr, 16-5-3-3,
$634,509. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–La Dragontea (GB), 124, f, 4, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
                1st Dam: La Concorde (Fr), by Sadler's Wells
                2nd Dam: La Leuze (Ire), by Caerleon
                3rd Dam: Floripedes, by Top Ville (Ire)
(67,000gns 3yo '20 TATMA). O-Reeves Thoroughbred Racing
& Rebecca Hillen; B-Bartisan Racing Ltd (GB); T-Christophe
Clement. C$120,000.
3–Kalifornia Queen (Ger), 124, f, 4, by Lope de Vega (Ire)
                1st Dam: Kaldera (Ger), by Sinndar (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Konigstochter (Ger), by Dai Jin (GB)
                3rd Dam: Karenina (Ger), by Second Set (Ire)
(€70,000 Ylg '18 BBAGO; €260,000 3yo '20 ARARC).
O-Madaket Stables LLC, Michael Dubb & First Row Partners;
B-Stall Torjager (GER); T-Chad C. Brown. C$60,000.
Margins: NK, NK, 1. Odds: 8.90, 5.85, 2.85.
Also Ran: Waliyak (Fr), Great Island, Keyflower (Fr), Family Way, Court Return, Etoile (Fr), Merveilleux. 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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California Contenders Tune Up for Breeders’ Cup

Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) tuned up for a tilt at the Nov. 6 GI Breeders' Cup Classic with a six-furlong drill in 1:14.00 (4/6) at Santa Anita Saturday.

“We were happy,” trainer Doug O'Neill said of the work. “He cooled out good. If all goes well and he stays injury-free, we're two works away. He'll have one at Santa Anita and one at Del Mar.”

Third in the GI Kentucky Derby and second in the GI Belmont S., Hot Rod Charlie was disqualified from a first-place finish in the GI Haskell S. before earning his first top-level victory in the GI Pennsylvania Derby last time out Sept. 25.

The sophomore is expected to be part of one of the deepest Classic fields in recent memory.

“I'm a little biased because I'm part of the race, but I think it's coming up as one of the most contentious Classics in a while,” O'Neill said. “It's a wide-open race with tons of contenders.”

GI TVG Pacific Classic winner Tripoli (Kitten's Joy), also working for the Classic, went five furlongs Sunday at Santa Anita in 1:01 flat (7/46) for John Sadler.

Ginobili (Munnings), preparing for the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, worked five furlongs in :57.20 (1/31) Friday at San Luis Rey for trainer Richard Baltas. The 4-year-old is coming off a win in the Aug. 28 GII Pat O'Brien S.

Baltas also sent out Breeders' Cup Classic contender Idol (Curlin), winner of the GI Santa Anita H. in March, out to work four furlongs in :47.80 (3/45) at Santa Anita Saturday. The 4-year-old is coming off a sixth-place effort in the Oct. 2 GI Awesome Again S.

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Breeders’ Cup to Require Extra Scrutiny of Baffert Horses

Horses trained by Bob Baffert, whose Kentucky Derby win with Medina Spirit (Protonico) remains in doubt due to a betamethasone positive, will undergo enhanced scrutiny in order to participate in the upcoming Breeders' Cup championship races at Del Mar, the Breeders' Cup announced Sunday.

The statement by the Breeders' Cup read:

“The Breeders' Cup Board of Directors convened a special review under legal counsel to evaluate the recent conduct of Mr. Bob Baffert in order to determine whether he should be permitted to participate in the 2021 World Championships. In the interest of fairness, Mr. Baffert was provided with advanced notice and an opportunity to take part in the process, and the Board appreciated his participation and cooperation in connection with its inquiries.

“Based on the totality of the circumstances, Breeders' Cup has decided to require all horses trained by Mr. Baffert to undergo enhanced out-of-competition, pre- and post-race testing and other security protocols, at his own expense, in order to participate in the 2021 Breeders' Cup World Championships at Del Mar.

“In addition to operating under the rules and regulations of both the California Horse Racing Board and Del Mar for the 2021 World Championships, those competing in any Breeders' Cup race are subject to another set of rules specific to the Breeders' Cup, which include the Breeders' Cup Condition of Entry, the Prohibited Substance Rule and the Convicted Trainer Rule. On top of our industry-leading protocols and standards, additional testing and security requirements for any horse under Mr. Baffert's care will be administered at his expense under a signed agreement to provide a more targeted layer of accountability. These additional measures include increased randomized out-of-competition testing for all prohibited and restricted substances, additional tests administered the week of the World Championships, increased veterinarian and security checks, and in-person 24-hour security surveillance ahead of the horse or horses' respective events. Mr. Baffert has agreed to abide by each of these additional measures.

“Working with horses and competing in the World Championships is a privilege, and medication restrictions and testing protocols are in place for a reason. The Breeders' Cup expects Mr. Baffert's complete cooperation in ensuring that every horse under his care is in full compliance with all medication restrictions and safety standards.

“Breeders' Cup looks forward to the uniform rules and enforcement mechanisms that the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority's antidoping and medication control program will bring to our sport.”

Baffert responded to a text from the TDN, saying, “I share the values of the Breeders' Cup board and the principles which underlie the World Championships of our great sport. I welcomed the good-faith inquiry of the Breeders' Cup Racing Committee and we transparently answered their requests, through documentation and in-person meetings. I invite any pre-race scrutiny and testing for my Breeders' Cup entrants. I compliment the horsemen on the Breeders' Cup board that selflessly provided their time, diligence and integrity in reviewing the true facts and not acting on a false rush to judgment.”

The Breeders' Cup announced in mid-September it had begun a review process into Baffert's participation in this year's championship races with Medina Spirit the most high-profile of the trainer's five drug positives in a one-year period. Churchill Downs issued Baffert a two-year suspension, while the New York Racing Association has faced legal challenges to a similar ban, possibly complicating any actions the Breeders' Cup board might have considered (The Week in Review: Baffert Should be Allowed to Run in Breeders' Cup).

Breeders' Cup President and CEO Drew Fleming responded to a request for comment via email, saying, “The thoroughbred industry is a small one and Breeders' Cup is an industry board. While there are instances of professional and personal overlap due to the nature and size of our industry, every Breeders' Cup Director takes his or her fiduciary obligations to the Breeders' Cup seriously. I have no doubt that they acted solely in the best interest of the organization when reviewing this matter. Beyond that, we do not publicly disclose the specifics of board deliberations or votes.”

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Empire Maker Filly Stays Up This Time, Earns Rising Stardom

Two-year-old filly Haughty (Empire Maker), taken down from first to third for interference after a clear-cut debut victory at Belmont Sept. 17, and then unable to draw in off the also-eligible list for Wednesday's GII JPMorgan Jessamine S., bested a solid-looking bunch at Keeneland Sunday to officially earn her diploma as well as the 'TDN Rising Star' nod. She had been flattered since her unveiling when the put-up winner that day was a close second at long odds in last week's GIII Matron S., and the $310,000 OBS April grad (:10 flat) was backed here like a near cinch at 1-5.

The bay was away without incident and sat perched off the pacesetter while well held through splits of :23.96 and :48.89. She took over approaching six furlongs in 1:13.53, and was confidently ridden from there, building up a four-length margin at the wire under a hands-and-heels ride from Tyler Gaffalione. Longshot Macadamia (Fr) (Wootton Basset {GB}) completed the exacta. The victory came some 20 minutes after the Chad Brown barn sent out another short-priced juvenile graduate at Belmont, and one day after the four-time Eclipse winner ran one-two in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S. here and annexed the GII Sands Point S. in New York as well.

Haughty is half to Souper Colossal (War Front), MSW & MGSP, $427,640. Her dam Soaring Emotions (Kingmambo), a winner over a grassy mile at both Leopardstown and Tampa Bay Downs, sold to Hidden Brook last Keeneland November while carrying a Hard Spun colt. She revisited Hard Spun for 2022. Haughty's third dam Caerlina (Ire) (Caerleon) won the 1991 G1 Prix de Diane.

3rd-Keeneland, $80,040, Msw, 10-17, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:43.96, gd, 4 lengths.
HAUGHTY, f, 2, Empire Maker
                1st Dam: Soaring Emotions, by Kingmambo
                2nd Dam: Luminous Beauty, by A.P. Indy
                3rd Dam: Caerlina (Ire), by Caerleon
Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $61,200. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
O-Bradley Thoroughbreds, Belmar Racing & Breeding, LLC, Tim & Anna Cambron & Team Hanley; B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd. (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. *$70,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP; $310,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR.

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