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Brooklyn Strong Works for Wood

Mark Schwartz's Brooklyn Strong (Wicked Strong), off since winning the GII Remsen S. last December, tuned up for a start in the Apr. 3 GII Wood Memorial with a five-furlong work in 1:01.13 (3/13) at Parx Saturday.

“He went by himself from the pole. Hopefully, we can hit one work a week up to the Wood,” said trainer Daniel Velazquez, who wasn't on hand for the drill after being hospitalized with a lacerated liver and torn bicep suffered during a training accident earlier Saturday morning.

Velazquez had hoped to start Brooklyn Strong in last Saturday's GIII Gotham S., but missed the race after a minor illness and lack of works due to inclement weather.

His win in the nine-furlong Remsen last year earned Brooklyn Strong 10 qualifying points to the GI Kentucky Derby and the Wood Memorial offers an additional 100-40-20-10 qualifying points.

“We know he can get the nine furlongs, I just want to make sure that he's ready,” said Velazquez. “We have another three weeks before the Wood and if we can get all the works in without interruption, I know we'll be ready.”

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Prevalence on Target for Derby Prep

Godolphin's Prevalence (Medaglia d'Oro), who followed a 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy debut going seven furlongs at Gulfstream Jan. 23 with a one-mile allowance tally in Hallandale last Thursday, could make his next start in a GI Kentucky Derby prep, with the Apr. 3 GII Wood Memorial at Aqueduct, GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland the same day, and the Apr. 10 GI Arkansas Derby at Oaklawn Park all in play.

“His maiden win told us something, his allowance win told us even more and his next race will decide where we go from there. Each race is its own entity,” Jimmy Bell, President of Godolphin's North American division, told the NYRA notes team. “We'll all be curious to see what his best distance is. He showed a nice step up from seven-eighths to a mile.”

Of the colt's possible next start, Bell added, “It becomes a question of where his energy level is and it comes down to a timing thing. His past races gave him some good experiences and when asked, he responded professionally.”

Godolphin's Lake Avenue (Tapit), winner of last week's Heavenly Prize S., could return to Aqueduct for the Apr. 2 GIII Distaff S., according to Bell. The 4-year-old filly won the 2019 GII Demoiselle S., but was winless in four starts last season. She is now two-for-two in 2021 and has impressed connections with a new ability to settle off the pace.

“In her last two races she showed different dimensions where she can break, settle and monitor the situation from off the pace. She got in a good position in both races and when the jockey said, 'Go,' she responded,” Bell said. “Her last two races really gave us a lot of confidence moving forward. We were a little uncertain with her, but she just gave us two really good performances.”

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Swiss Skydiver Doesn’t ‘Miss’ A Beat In Beholder Mile

After a disappointing effort when last seen in the Nov. 7 GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil)returned to the brilliant form that earned her an Eclipse Award last season with a good-looking score in her seasonal bow Saturday at Santa Anita in the GI Beholder Mile. It was her second win from as many starts in Arcadia, having captured last term's GII Santa Anita Oaks.

Away in good order from her rail draw, the 7-5 chalk secured a comfortable position ina ground-saving fourth as Golden Principal (Constitution) hustled up to take control with Harvest Moon (Uncle Mo) keeping her honest in second through a :23.14 opening quarter. Inching up inside of Harvest Moon as the half-mile went in :46.80, the chestnut patiently awaited racing room on the backstretch run and split the top two to make a race of it turning for home. Pouncing on Golden Principal in early stretch, Swiss Skydiver “waved goodbye,” as announcer Frank Mirahmadi said, powering clear under a hand ride from Robby Albarado to win as she pleased by 2 3/4 lengths. The regally bred As Time Goes By (American Pharoah–Take Charge Lady) took the overland route to be second and her pacesetting stablemate Golden Principal held third.

“Pretty much up the backside, every point I felt like she was right there with me the whole way,” Albarado said. “She was taking deep breaths around there. When I finally gave her some room there she took off. It was all her, I was just a passenger…I look forward for the rest of the year with her.”
“Yes, she met expectations, but you never know,” said trainer Ken McPeek, who has been at Santa Anita since Swiss Skydiver shipped in from her Gulfstream Park base Tuesday. “The distance for me was a little bit of a worry because of the run to the first turn. But Robby does know her so well, to get her in :12s, just get her into a nice rhythm and let her make her run. You can't force anything with her, and if you go too fast early, she will wilt a little bit.”

Swiss Skydiver's won five of her 10 starts in her Eclipse-winning sophomore season, all at different racetracks. Her first victory of the season came in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks last March and followed suit with a win in Oaklawn's GIII Fantasy S. in May. Wiring the Santa Anita Oaks last June, the $35,000 KEESEP buy took on males for the first time in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. in July and finished a respectable second to Art Collector (Bernardini).

Cruising home to a clear-cut victory in Saratoga's prestigious GI Alabama S. last August, Swiss Skydiver checked in second to Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) in the GI Kentucky Oaks Sept. 4. Trainer Kenny McPeek was confident enough to send his star filly on to the GI Preakness S. Oct. 3 and she rewarded his and owner Peter Callahan's faith with a gritty score of GI Kentucky Derby winner and now Horse of the Year Authentic (Into Mischief). Installed as the second choice in the Distaff at Keeneland, Swiss Skydiver stumbled at the start and never really got into the race, finishing seventh to two-time champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar).

Pedigree Notes:

Swiss Skydiver completed a cross-country graded double for her young sire Daredevil, following Shedaresthedevil's win in the GII Azeri S. at Oaklawn. Those two fillies from the new Lane's End sire's first crop are his only two Grade I/graded winners thus far and are two of five black-type winners for the stallion, who recently returned to Kentucky after spending a year in Turkey. Swiss Skydiver is also one of 20 graded victors and 45 black-type scorers out of a daughter of Johannesburg.

The winner's dam Expo Gold brought just $13,000 from Los Santos Customs her first time through the Keeneland November ring in 2017, carrying Swiss Skydiver's full-brother. The resulting colt, the now 3-year-old Inspector General, fetched just $4,000 from Southern Racing at Keeneland September the following year. Expo Gold's next auction appearance was at the 2019 CTBA January Mixed Sale, selling to Blue Chip Thoroughbreds for $15,000 in foal to Danzing Candy. She produced that colt the following April and failed to get back in foal to that California stallion. The 13-year-old mare returned to the Keeneland November ring last term, but this time she summoned $950,000 from Hunter Valley Farm, while carrying a foal from the first crop of GI Travers S. winner Catholic Boy. Two of her daughters sold at the same auction with her first foal Is It Gold (Indygo Shiner) bringing $230,000 from Titletown Racing Stables in foal to Nyquist; and her 2016 foal Miss Hot Legs (Verrazano) hammering for $500,000 to Coteau Grove Farms.

Saturday, Santa Anita
BEHOLDER MILE S.-GI, $301,000, Santa Anita, 3-13, 4yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:36.18, ft.
1–SWISS SKYDIVER, 124, f, 4, by Daredevil
                1st Dam: Expo Gold, by Johannesburg
                2nd Dam: Clouds of Gold, by Strike the Gold
                3rd Dam: Cloudy Colors, by Personal Flag
($35,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP). O-Peter J. Callahan; B-WinStar Farm,
LLC (KY); T-Kenneth G. McPeek; J-Robby Albarado. $180,000.
Lifetime Record: Ch. 3yo Filly, 13-7-3-1, $2,025,480. *1/2 to
Miss Hot Legs (Verrazano), SP, $151,620. Werk Nick Rating: A.
   Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–As Time Goes By, 120, f, 4, by American Pharoah
                1st Dam: Take Charge Lady (Broodmare Of The Year,
                                MGISW, $2,480,377), by Dehere
                2nd Dam: Felicita, by Rubiano
                3rd Dam: Grand Bonheur, by Blushing Groom (Fr)
O-Michael Tabor, Susan Magnier & Derrick Smith; B-Orpendale
& Chelston (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $60,000.
3–Golden Principal, 120, f, 4, by Constitution
                1st Dam: Gold D' Medaglia, by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Lemon Twist, by Seeking the Gold
                3rd Dam: Danzig Island, by Danzig
($35,000 RNA Ylg '18 KEESEP; $200,000 2yo '19 OBSAPR).
O-Karl Watson, Michael Pegram & Paul Weitman; B-CESA Farm
(FL); T-Bob Baffert. $36,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, 1 3/4, 2HF. Odds: 1.40, 1.90, 7.20.
Also Ran: Harvest Moon, This Tea, Clockstrikestwelve, Miss Stormy D. Scratched: Sanenus (Chi).
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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Concert Tour Runs Away From Rebel Rivals

The further we get down the GI Kentucky Derby trail, the more evident it becomes that Bob Baffert will saddle the favorite on the First Saturday in May. The only question is which of his super star colts it will be. 'TDN Rising Star' Life is Good (Into Mischief) kept his unbeaten record in tact with a dominant score in the GII San Felipe S. last weekend with barnmate Medina Spirit (Protonico) in second. On Saturday, Baffert sent out another undefeated colt to a sensational victory in a Derby prep in 'TDN Rising Star' Concert Tour (Street Sense), who ran the GII Rebel S. field off their feet at Oaklawn. That victory came about 2 1/2 hours after the Hall of Fame conditioner saddled his first Triple Crown winner American Pharoah's half-brother Triple Tap (Tapit) to an impressive, 'TDN Rising Star'-worthy debut win at Santa Anita.

Concert Tour earned his 'Rising Star' badge with a front-running 3 1/2-length score going six panels at Santa Anita Jan. 15. The bay defeated barnmate and recent GIII Withers S. third-place finisher Freedom Fighter (Violence) next out in the seven-furlong GII San Vicente S. there Feb. 6, earning a 94 Beyer Speed Figure. He prepped for this with a bullet six panels in 1:11 2/5 (1/11) at Santa Anita Mar. 6.

Away alertly in this first try around two turns, the 8-5 second-choice hustled straight to the front and was joined by 6-5 favorite Caddo River (Hard Spun) heading into the first turn. The chalk was reined in a bit to press from second as Concert Tour clocked a :23.42 first quarter under a quiet ride from Joel Rosario. Caddo River tugged at his pilot, who reminded him to be patient, as the pacesetter put up a half in :47.53. The Smarty Jones S. victor turned up the heat on the backstretch run, but Concert Tour was still well within himself entering the far turn and had yet to be asked by Rosario. Taking off with ease in the lane, the Gary and Mary West homebred was well clear of his foes by the time Rosario took a peak under his right arm just a few strides later and powered home a 4 1/4-length victor over stablemate Hozier (Pioneerof the Nile). Big Lake (American Pharoah) completed the trifecta and Caddo River faded to fifth.

It was the eighth Rebel victory for Baffert, who also saddled the likes of Lookin at Lucky (2010), The Factor (2011), Secret Circle (2012), Hoppertunity (2014), American Pharoah (2015), Cupid (2016) and Nadal (2020). All of those horses went on to be Grade I winners and stallions. Two of them–American Pharoah and Nadal–went on to win the GI Arkansas Derby in their next start and the latter, of course, followed that with a Triple Crown sweep.

“That was nice, impressive,” Baffert said. “I'm just happy to run one-two. That's pretty huge. I'm just glad they showed up. I just told Rosario he's fast. I know Caddo River's fast. This horse going two turns first out, just play the break and do what you think is right. He's a very, very fast horse. He looked like he was doing it pretty easily, though. They slowed up a little bit down the backside. Joel, you could really tell he was controlling the race. This is a really top horse. I was going to be disappointed if he didn't do what he did today.”

“It was a very good race,” Rosario said. “He broke very good and I just let him go on with it. It was impressive for his first time going two turns.”

Pedigree Notes:

Concert Tour is one of two products of the Wests breeding program on the Derby trail this year. The other is his barnmate Life is Good, who the couple sold to WinStar and China Horse Club for $525,000 at the Keeneland September Sale. The longtime owners were represented by three champion colts in the past five years: 2017 champion 3-year-old male West Coast (Flatter); 2018 champion juvenile colt Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}); and 2019 champion sophomore colt and West homebred Maximum Security (New Year's Day).

The Wests' bloodstock advisor and racing manager Ben Glass purchased Concert Tour's dam Purse Strings for $240,000 at the Keeneland September Sale. Her first foal, the now-4-year-old Catholic Guilt (Hard Spun), was picked up by Donegal Racing for $100,000 at KEESEP. He is winless in seven starts so far in his career, but is entered in the first race at Oaklawn Sunday. Purse Strings failed to get in foal to Distorted Humor after producing Concert Tour, but had a Lookin at Lucky colt Apr. 24 of last year. She was bred back to the Wests' GSW & MGISP American Freedom (Pulpit), who is represented by his first juveniles this year. This is also the female family of champion juvenile filly Stardom Bound (Tapit).

Concert Tour is one of 35 graded victors and 79 black-type scorers for his sire Street Sense. He is also one of 18 graded winners and 42 black-type winners out of a daughter of Tapit. The unbeaten colt is bred on the same cross as GSW & MGISP Air Strike.

Saturday, Oaklawn Park
REBEL S.-GII, $1,000,000, Oaklawn, 3-13, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.18, ft.
1–CONCERT TOUR, 117, c, 3, by Street Sense
1st Dam: Purse Strings, by Tapit
2nd Dam: My Red Porsche, by Mt. Livermore
3rd Dam: Wind Chime, by Marfa
O-Gary and Mary West; B-Gary & Mary West Stables Inc. (KY);
T-Bob Baffert; J-Joel Rosario. $600,000. TDN Rising Star
Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $756,600. TDN Rising Star
Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Hozier, 117, c, 3, Pioneerof the Nile–Merry Meadow, by
Henny Hughes. ($625,000 Ylg '19 FTSAUG). O-SF Racing LLC,
Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC,
Golconda Stable, Siena Farm LLC and Robert E. Masterson;
B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert. $200,000.
3–Big Lake, 117, c, 3, American Pharoah–Resistivity, by Student
Council. ($250,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Mike G. Rutherford;
B-Mike G. Rutherford (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $100,000.
Margins: 4 1/4, 3/4, 1HF. Odds: 1.70, 18.80, 18.00.
Also Ran: Super Stock, Caddo River, Keepmeinmind, Get Her Number, Twilight Blue.
Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

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