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Gossip Girl: Chismosa Earns Graded Win in Las Flores

A week after a pair of California-breds battled to the wire in the GI La Brea S., the state-bred program was back in the spotlight again on Monday's holiday card at Santa Anita when Jaime Renella's Chismosa (Clubhouse Ride) capped a three-win day for her sire with a 1 1/4-length victory in the GIII Las Flores S. Sent off at 8-1, Chismosa settled just off the pace as favored Sweet Azteca (Sharp Azteca), making just her second career start, blitzed through a quarter in :21.96 and a half in :44.70 while chased by Hot Peppers (Khozan). The pacesetter drifted out badly into the stretch, allowing Chismosa to cut the corner and skip to the lead at the top of the lane. With a resurgent Hot Peppers to her inside and a determined Sweet Azteca to her outside, Chismosa refused to be beaten and was drawing away late.

“She is an amazing filly,” said Renella. “She's never had a clean trip in all of her races, and we finally got one today. Starting off the new year like this–there's more to come.”

Renella emigrated with his family to the U.S. from Ecuador when he was four, according to a recent profile by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association. Founder of Performance Tube Bending Inc., an Irwindale-based company specializing in creating customized intake/exhaust systems for automobiles, he claimed Chismosa's dam, You Can Dream (Cat Dreams), for $20,000 in 2010.   “She ran very game,” said winning jockey Kyle Frey. “As you saw, the favorite ducked out there at the top of the lane and I didn't want to lose a ton of ground by staying outside her, so I was able to cut inside, over heels and get to the inside. From there, she just kept grinding. Big effort.”

Winning trainer Rafael DeLeon added, “I thought Kyle made a good move. We talked in the paddock of how she is just one pace. If she picked up the bridle, she's ready to go. He felt right away the filly picked up the bridle and he was looking for room and he found a clear space inside the other horse. I'm happy he did that. I'm happy to win and I thank God for giving me the victory.”

Chismosa opened her career with three straight wins–including two stakes triumphs–versus state-bred foes at Del Mar in the summer of 2022, but she went to the sidelines following a score in the Generous Portion S. in September. She suffered her first loss when sixth on return in the May 6

GIII Senorita S. and, while her four on-the-board efforts in stakes company included a runner-up effort in the July 4 GII Great Lady M S., a series of troubled trips kept her out of the winner's circle in eight 2023 outings. She was most recently fifth in the Nov. 12 Betty Grable S.

“I gave her some time off because every morning I touch my horses and she didn't like when I touched her in a certain spot, so I sent her to my farm for a little while,” said DeLeon. “Once she came back, she came back to win.”

Pedigree Notes:
Chismosa is the third graded winner for Clubhouse Ride, who has also been represented by Warren's Showtime and Brickyard Ride.

You Can Dream, who was claimed by owner/breeder Jaime Renella for $20,000 in 2010, produced a colt by Acclamation in 2022 and a filly by that sire in 2023. The colt sold for $100,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearling Sale. The mare was bred back to Acclamation. The winner's third dam, Regal Band, produced GI Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos.

Monday, Santa Anita
LAS FLORES S.-GIII, $100,000, Santa Anita, 1-1, 4yo/up, f/m, 6f, 1:10.22, ft.
1–CHISMOSA, 122, f, 4, by Clubhouse Ride
                1st Dam: You Can Dream, by Cat Dreams
                2nd Dam: Siphonophora, by Siphon (Brz)
                3rd Dam: Regal Band, by Dixieland Band
   1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. O/B-Jaime R Renella (CA); T-Rafael
DeLeon; J-Kyle Frey. $60,000. Lifetime Record: 12-4-2-2,
$368,250. Werk Nick Rating: A.
   Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Hot Peppers, 124, f, 5, Khozan–Friends Pro, by Friends Lake.
($40,000 Ylg '20 OBSOCT; $16,000 2yo '21 OBSOPN).
O-Michael J. Caruso and Michael Dubb; B-Brent & Crystal
Fernung (FL); T-Philip D'Amato. $20,000.
3–Sweet Azteca, 120, f, 4, Sharp Azteca–So Sweetitiz, by Grand
Slam. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. O/B-Pamela
Cee Ziebarth (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. $12,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, 1 1/4, HF. Odds: 8.30, 2.00, 1.20.
Also Ran: Lady T, Violent Runner.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. Video, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Stidham Has High Hopes for Promising Sophomores

Trainer Mike Stidham, who recorded the highest earnings mark of his 34-year career in 2023, got the new year off to a quick start when Godolphin's Heckled (Hard Spun) broke her maiden in the eighth race at Fair Grounds Monday. The  conditioner has a pair of promising newly turned 3-year-olds who could help keep the momentum going in 2024.

Godolphin homebred Central Avenue (Street Sense), a first-out winner at Colonial Downs last August, was second in the Oct. 7 GI Frizette S. and, most recently, third in the Nov. 25 GII Golden Rod S. The dark bay filly worked four furlongs in :47.80 (2/82) at Fair Grounds Sunday.

“She's been working well at Fair Grounds,” Stidham said of the filly. “We're looking at her for the preps that lead to the [GII] Fair Grounds Oaks, so we'll see.”

Stidham also has high hopes for Pin Oak Stud's Phantom Speed (Arrogate), a $700,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase. The gray colt just missed when second in his six-furlong unveiling at Fair Grounds Nov. 24. He was third behind the Brad Cox-trained Ethan Energy (Uncle Mo) when stretched to 1 1/16 miles Dec. 23.

“I expected a little bit better, but the Cox horse looks like something special,” Stidham said of that second effort. “Phantom Speed is a big, heavy colt. Certainly he's going to benefit from the race and improve physically and mentally from that run. That came up a very solid maiden race. Anytime you've got a well-bred $700,000 yearling that comes out and runs a big race like he did the first time out, you begin thinking along the lines [of Derbys], but we're a long way out from thinking that high.”

Stidham's New Orleans-based string also includes last year's GIII Monmouth Cup winner Catnip (Kitten's Joy) and Saturday's Pago Hop S. winner Tufani (Distorted Humor).

“He's really doing well,” Stidham said of Catnip. “Training very well. We're happy with him. We're waiting to see if we get an invitation to the [Jan. 27 GI] Pegasus Turf. If that happens, we'll probably go there. If it doesn't happen then we'll definitely be looking at the [Jan. 20] Colonel Bradley.”

Of the now 4-year-old Tufani, who was winning her first stakes race, Stidham said, “Tufani has always shown us a lot of talent since we first got her. She's developed. She's learned to relax. I think the arrow is pointing up for her.”

The Stidham barn reached $5,098,073 in earnings in 2023, led by GI Breeders' Cup Classic third-place finisher Proxy (Tapit).

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Otello A Narrow Winner In Mucho Macho Man

After upsetting his maiden field at 5-1 odds Nov. 24, Otello shipped south from Aqueduct to Gulfstream to make a successful jump into stakes company Monday, taking the Mucho Macho Man S. under Luis Saez. Favored this time around at 8-5 for Christophe Clement, the newly-turned 3-year-old executed a very similar race plan than that of his debut, sitting off the pace in fifth as longshot Everdoit (Gary D) was intent on the early lead. In a field that remained rather tightly bunched, Otello sat patiently through a :46.63 half before splitting horses to make a late bid. In a driving finish, the son of Curlin got up just ahead of both First World War and Sea Streak to win.

“He won first time out in New York, and he won well, got into a lot of trouble,” admitted Clement. “The same applied today, so I guess he likes to be in trouble. But he won well, and he got out of the trouble. He was good enough to overcome it. I'm not exactly sure what he beat today. I know that they liked the second horse. I'm thrilled. I don't train too many Curlins, so it's nice when it works out.”

“He's had two starts and he's had plenty of schooling,” Clement continued. “We'll see how he comes out of it. As you know, Elliott Walden is very involved, so we'll speak with him and have a plan. We'll enjoy this for a day or so and go from there. He'll have to go two turns next time, obviously, the question is: where? We've got time to think about that.”

The 101st stakes winner for Curlin, Otello is out of successful race mare Isabella Sings who has produced three winners from as many to race. His 2-year-old Into Mischief half-brother brought a final bid of $650,000 from Repole Stable and Spendthrift Farm last September at Keeneland and Isabella Sings reported a Gun Runner filly last year before visiting Life Is Good for 2024. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

 

MUCHO MACHO MAN S., $150,000, Gulfstream, 1-1, 3yo, 1m, 1:37.76, ft.
1–OTELLO, 118, c, 3, by Curlin
                1st Dam: Isabella Sings (MGSW-USA, GSP-Can,
                                 $648,170), by Eskendereya
                2nd Dam: Isobel Baillie (GB), by Lomitas (GB)
                3rd Dam: Dubai Soprano (GB), by Zafonic
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Siena Farm LLC and WinStar Farm
LLC; B-Siena Farms LLC (KY); T-Christophe Clement; J-Luis Saez.
$92,070. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $138,820.
2–First World War, 118, c, 3, War Front–Sundaysatthebeach,
by Medaglia d'Oro. ($285,000 Wlg '21 FTKNOV; $135,000 RNA
Ylg '22 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Qatar Racing LLC and
Hunter Valley Farm; B-Skyfall Thoroughbreds LLC (KY);
T-Brendan P. Walsh. $29,700.
3–Sea Streak, 118, g, 3, Sea Wizard–High Noon Nellie, by Silver
Deputy. O/B-Holly Crest Farm (NJ); T-Eddie Owens, Jr.
$14,850.
Margins: HF, NK, 3/4. Odds: 1.70, 3.80, 9.00.
Also Ran: Inveigled, No More Time, Everdoit. Scratched: Boy Magic, Orb Alpha.

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Constitution’s Catching Freedom Stylish in Smarty Jones Win

Albaugh Family Stables' Catching Freedom, the 8-5 favorite, kicked off his sophomore campaign in style with a late-running victory in the Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn Park Monday. Favored for his third-straight start, the bay colt was unhurried early Monday and settled well off the pace behind fractions of :23.02 and :47.01. He inched closer along the rail on the far turn, tipped out for running room approaching the stretch and rolled up four wide into the lane. Just to his inside off the turn was Just Steel (Justify), who grabbed command at midstretch, while Catching Freedom dawdled while racing greenly in the center of the track. Catching Freedom straightened out and quickened powerfully to inhale Just Steel late and strode clear to a two-length victory. He completed the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.59 and earned 10 points towards a berth in the GI Kentucky Derby.

“Very proud of the horse,” said winning trainer Brad Cox. “I think he's still learning. I think he was a little green there down the lane, but overall showed that he does have a lot of stamina and talent. I thought he stepped up and ran well against a solid group of 3-year-olds.”

A $575,000 Keeneland September yearling, Catching Freedom debuted with a 3 3/4-length victory going one mile at Churchill Oct. 1 and was coming off a troubled fourth-place effort behind 'TDN Rising Star' Parchment Party (Constitution) in a 1 1/16-mile optional claimer in Louisville Nov. 9. He is a half-brother to last year's GII Ohio Derby runner-up Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo). A 62nd stakes winner for Constitution, Catching Freedom is out of GISP Catch My Drift, purchased for $400,000 at FTKNOV by WinStar back in 2015. Her 2-year-old Improbable filly brought $385,000 from Centennial Farms at last year's Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Select Yearling Sale and she reported a filly by Not This Time last year and was not reported bred for 2024. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

SMARTY JONES S., $300,000, Oaklawn, 1-1, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:44.59, ft.
1–CATCHING FREEDOM, 117, c, 3, by Constitution
                1st Dam: Catch My Drift (SW & GISP, $280,540),
                                by Pioneerof the Nile
                2nd Dam: Drift to the Lead, by Yonaguska
                3rd Dam: Drifa, by Tabasco Cat
($575,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Albaugh
Family Stables LLC; B-WinStar Farm, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox;
J-Cristian A. Torres. $162,000. Lifetime Record: 3-2-0-0,
$237,350. *1/2 to Strava (Into Mischief), MSP, $347,623;
1/2 to Bishops Bay (Uncle Mo), MGSP, $212,600.
2–Just Steel, 119, c, 3, Justify–Irish Lights (Aus), by Fastnet Rock
(Aus). ($500,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-BC Stables, LLC;
B-Summerhill Farm (KY); T-D. Wayne Lukas. $54,000.
3–Informed Patriot, 117, c, 3, Hard Spun–Yawkey Way, by
Grand Slam. ($90,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-J. Kirk and Judy
Robison; B-Gainesway Thoroughbreds LTD & Whisper Hill Farm
(KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen. $27,000.
Margins: 2HF, NK, NK. Odds: 1.70, 4.50, 10.40.
Also Ran: Gettysburg Address, Mystik Dan, Lagynos, Mo Winning, Chaperone, Fidget.

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