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Speed Boat Beach Takes The Malibu For the Three Amigos

Favored Speed Boat Beach (Bayern) led home a one-two finish for Bob Baffert in the GI Malibu S. at Santa Anita Tuesday, putting away stablemate Hejazi (Bernardini) down the lane to give the trainer his record-tying sixth win in the race–and third in the last four years–and longtime owners Mike Pegram, Paul Weitman and Karl Watson their first victory in the Arcadia track's traditional opening-day feature.

“Turning for home I knew I was going to win it,” Baffert said. “I wasn't sure which one it was going to be, I would have liked to run one, two, three. Speed Boat Beach has always shown since his first out that he was something special, hopefully he can build from this.”

Hejazi, who topped the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale on Gary Young's bid of $3.55 million on behalf of Amr Zedan, won the break and had the lead in the early strides, but Speed Boat Beach, last seen finishing fourth after setting a quick tempo in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, rushed up to prompt his stablemate through fractions of :22.21 and :44.42. He took a narrow lead into the far turn, but Hejazi came right back and looked to be traveling with authority only to have Speed Boat Beach cut the corner into the lane and scamper clear, leaving Hejazi to chase in vain.

“He was really sharp early,” said winning jockey Flavien Prat, who rode Flightline to victory in last year's Malibu. “I got him to relax and we took a little breather. Around the turn, he really went well. He didn't mind being on the inside. He was really in a good rhythm today.”

Speed Boat Beach stretched out to a mile to win the GIII Cecil B. DeMille S. over the Del Mar lawn last December, but was sidelined nearly 10 months after that effort. He returned with a gallant runner-up effort in the six-furlong GII Santa Anita Sprint Championship Sept. 30, earning a berth in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint where he settled for fourth after setting the pace.

“His issue is that he has always been very aggressive,” Baffert said of Speed Boat Beach. “He's aggressive in the mornings and aggressive in his races. We have been working on getting him relaxed, a lot of schooling. I've got a great team, my riders and my assistants they have been working him a lot. Prat worked him for me today and he actually worked really well with Prat. He got along with him really well, got him to come off the bit a little bit. I was worried about my other horses they were going to be in there with him.”

Of the runner-up, Baffert added, “Hejazi is a serious horse. He was a little bit keen today. We weren't able to train this last week. Juan [Hernandez] was telling me he couldn't get him to relax very well so he used himself up a little bit. I see big things for him down the road.”

Pedigree Notes:

Speed Boat Beach is one of four graded winners–and the first top-level victor–for GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Bayern, who now stands in South Korea. The winner is the first foal out of the unraced Sophia Mia, who has a yearling filly by Volatile–who sold for $140,000 at the Keeneland September sale–and a weanling filly by Army Mule. The mare, a daughter of multiple graded placed Amie's Dini, RNA'd for $390,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton November sale and was bred to Not This Time this year. Her 2-year-old daughter Midnight Snack (Distorted Humor) sold to Alistair Roden on behalf of MKW Racing and Breeding for $485,000 at this year's OBS April sale.

Tuesday, Santa Anita
MALIBU S.-GI, $301,000, Santa Anita, 12-26, 3yo, 7f, 1:21.70, ft.
1–SPEED BOAT BEACH, 120, c, 3, by Bayern
                1st Dam: Sophia Mia, by Pioneerof the Nile
                2nd Dam: Amie's Dini, by Bandini
                3rd Dam: Run Kate Run, by Cherokee Run
   1ST GRADE I WIN. ($12,000 Ylg '21 OBSOCT; $200,000 2yo
'22 OBSMAR). O-Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul
Weitman; B-Caperlane Farm (FL); T-Bob Baffert; J-Flavien
Prat. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 7-4-1-0, $498,000.
Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free
   Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Hejazi, 120, c, 3, Bernardini–G Note, by Medaglia d'Oro.
($3,550,000 2yo '22 EASMAY). O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.;
B-Chester Broman & Mary R. Broman (NY); T-Bob Baffert.
$60,000.
3–Giant Mischief, 120, c, 3, Into Mischief–Vertical Oak, by
Giant Oak. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE.
($475,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Bakster Farm LLC, Big Easy
Racing LLC, Kueber Racing LLC, Spendthrift Farm LLC, Steve
Landers Racing LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Ten Strike
Racing, Titletown Racing Stables, Winners Win, M. Caruso,
Dubb, and M. Schwartz; B-Stonestreet Thoroughbred

Holdings LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. 'TDN Rising Star' $36,000.
Margins: 1HF, 3, 2 1/4. Odds: 1.60, 2.10, 10.90.
Also Ran: Damon's Mound, Raise Cain, Fort Bragg, Sharp Aza Tack. Scratched: Matanzas Creek.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

 

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Letter to the Editor: Suzi Prichard-Jones

Anthropomorphization: Maybe we've always done it, but not to the extent as it appears to be taking over our collective consciousness in the 21st century. The attribution of human form or personality to things not human in the case of small animals has seen an expansion of the pet industry to something which would have been inconceivable 30 or 40 years ago.

In parallel, the place of the horse in society has diminished, since the invention of motorised vehicles at the turn of the 20th century. Horses became less and less relevant to everyday life, to where today the majority of people living in our cities have possibly never actually seen a horse up close and personal. They have no connection,  “so what,” you might say, but what you forget is we have had a relationship with horses for over 6,000 years, in the words of John Moore

“Wherever man has left his footprint in the long ascent from barbarism to civilisation we will find the hoof print of the horse beside it.”

We would not be here without the horse, and it is only in the last 100 or so years there has been an ever increasing disconnect. Even with that disconnect, people still recognised there was something in what the Greeks prescribed many centuries ago, and by mid-20th century Riding for the Disabled had been established around the world. Since then using horses as therapeutic facilitators has gained more and more momentum, to where today there are thousands upon thousands of programmes around the world using horses to help people…..and it IS Life changing.

What we in the racing industry fail to recognise is the connection mankind has to horses. They are hard wired into our DNA, and as such the Horse is the most potent drug on the planet. We need to tell our story, yes, but we also need to package this beautiful gift we are lucky enough to spend our lives involved with, and to market it.

We also need to realise we are living in a very different world today, where the horse has zero relevance to most people's lives, and anthropomorphization is the new norm. So when animal rights activists say racing is cruel, they are addressing a very different demographic from times past. Telling our story, showing how well we treat our horses and what a great game it truly is, is a fantastic start, but we need to do much more to resonate with today's population. Racing has survived through war, strife, famine, economic hardship, social unrest for over 2,000 years, but today it is facing the Grim Reaper of changing attitudes. One of which is “All use of horses is abuse.” We have to show how horses not only enrich those involved in the various equestrian fields, but society in general.

The story we need to embrace is our age old connection to these magnificent and magical animals, and how we as a society are incomplete without them, in fact they are more relevant today than perhaps ever before. For we live in a world where technology has replaced the need for human connection, and where the ramifications of COVID 19 are being dramatically felt by a generation, especially the younger population. We are becoming more and more isolated and lonely, and unknowingly in need of what horses bring to our world–connection.

We need to show people the complete cycle of the Thoroughbred from the beautiful nurture, nature of the breeding farms where their lives begin. Their playfulness and sheer joy of innocence.

Then to the adrenaline-filled excitement, competitiveness, speed, beauty, strength, sheer power and determination of the of the Thoroughbred doing what they was bred to do over three hundred years ago–Race.

To the third cycle, a stage which can take many forms. Those successful on the racecourse go back to the breeding farms. While others are re-trained by many wonderful Thoroughbred aftercare organisations to participate in other competitive fields. They do this because They Can. The Thoroughbred is an art form as close to perfection as you will ever find, and as such can excel in any field of endeavour.

And what people are beginning to discover is that they are incredible empaths, and as such are creating an enormous buzz within the equine assisted activity world with programmes such as HorsebackUK, the Man O' War project, Racing Hearts, Stable Recovery, equine-facilitated prison programmes, and many, many more. It is to this, we need to turn our attention if the horse racing industry is to survive to see another decade. As a society we are in trouble. We are becoming more and more disconnected and isolated from each other, the consequences of which can manifest is depression, self-doubt, lack of esteem, anxiety and suicide.

Ask yourself who has carried us to safe ground for thousands of years–the very being who has become totally irrelevant in the 21st century. It's time we as an industry begin to let the wider world in on our secret. We should not be taking a defensive stand, we need to show society what Horses can do for it, and in so doing we can re-establish our Social Licence, and the Horse's role in society.

Suzi Prichard-Jones, owner, breeder and founder of the Byerley Turk & Godolphin Arabian Conservation

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Anisette Proves Far Too Strong In American Oaks

Crunched into 3-5 favoritism to complete the Southern California turf Oaks double, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners' Anisette (GB) (Awtaad {Ire}) sat the perfect trip just behind the pace and quickened up decisively in the final eighth of a mile to stamp her authority on Tuesday's GI American Oaks at Santa Anita.

The dark bay, who swept the GII San Clemente S. and GI Del Mar Oaks over the summer, was content to lay third against the rails as Irad Ortiz, Jr. tried to make all the running aboard 'TDN Rising Star' Be Your Best (Ire) (Muhaarar {GB}), who got away with some pretty cheap fractions on the engine. The Mike Ryan colorbearer was given every conceivable chance to finish the task at hand once heads were turned for home, but the chalk pushed away from the fence beneath Umberto Rispoli in upper stretch, easily gathered up the front-runner at the eighth pole and ran out a facile winner. Be Your Best settled for second, while pace-pressing Musical Mischief (Into Mischief) re-rallied for third after appearing destined to finish off the board. It was the second win in the race in the space of three years for Aron Wellman's operation, who campaigned 2021 winner Queen Goddess (Empire Maker) in partnership in a race rained onto the main track.

Though this race, the brainchild of longtime bi-coastal racing office maestro Martin Panza, was celebrating just its 22nd running, Anisette is the second to complete the Del Mar/American Oaks double, joining Lady of Shamrock (Scat Daddy) in 2012, when the races were run back-to-back and in reverse order in July (at original host site Hollywood Park) and August.

“She's the goods,” said winning trainer Leonard Powell. “Aron Wellman and I have chosen to give her plenty of time in between races and that's probably the key of keeping her at the top of her game. She is happy and healthy, so that is the main thing.”

An all-weather maiden winner in three starts in England for Kevin Philippart de Foy, Anisette swept the Del Mar series over the summer, but settled for second in her last two, against the high-class Didia (Arg) (Orpen) in the GII Rodeo Drive S. over this course and trip Oct. 7 and versus her peers in the one-mile GIII Autumn Miss S. Nov. 5.

Pedigree Notes:

One of two elite-level scorers for her sire, along with G1 Prix d'Ispahan winner Anmaat (Ire), Anisette–a 26,000gns graduate of the 2021 Tattersalls Somerville Yearling Sale–is one of two winners from four to the races out of a daughter of the stakes-winning Soft Centre, also the dam of G1 Nassau S. heroine Sultanina (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}). The stakes-winning third dam produced Dalvina (GB) (Grand Lodge) and SW French Dressing (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}), the dam of 2021 G3 Hampton Court S. winner Mohaafeth (Ire) (Frankel {GB}). Anisette's 2-year-old half-brother Eton Mes (Ire) (Expert Eye {GB}) was a 37,000gns RNA at the 2022 Tattersalls November Sale and her yearling filly Glamourous Marlene (Ire) (Make Believe {GB}) was hammered down to Blandford Bloodstock for 65,000gns at Tattersalls October this fall. Tutti Frutti was most recently covered by Magna Grecia (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}). Anisette was catalogued to last month's Keeneland November Sale, but was ultimately withdrawn.

Tuesday, Santa Anita
AMERICAN OAKS-GI, $300,000, Santa Anita, 12-26, 3yo, f, 1 1/4mT, 2:00.22, fm.
1–ANISETTE (GB), 124, f, 3, by Awtaad (Ire)
                1st Dam: Tutti Frutti (GB), by Teofilo (Ire)
                2nd Dam: Soft Centre (GB), by Zafonic
                3rd Dam: Foodbroker Fancy (Ire), by Halling
(26,000gns Ylg '21 TATSOM). O-Eclipse Thoroughbred
Partners; B-Morera Partnership (GB); T-Leonard Powell;
J-Umberto Rispoli. $180,000. Lifetime Record: 9-5-3-0,
$606,871. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
   Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the free Equineline.com
   catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Be Your Best (Ire), 124, f, 3, by Muhaarar (GB)
                1st Dam: Kamakura, by Medaglia d'Oro
                2nd Dam: Kotuku (GB), by A.P. Indy
                3rd Dam: Flagbird, by Nureyev
'TDN Rising Star'. O-Michael J. Ryan; B-St. Croix Bloodstock
(IRE); T-Horacio De Paz. $60,000.
3–Musical Mischief, 124, f, 3, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: Sophia's Song (SW & GSP, $155,892),
                                by Bellamy Road
                2nd Dam: Dreamscape, by Mt. Livermore
                3rd Dam: Big Dreams, by Great Above
   1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK
   TYPE. ($300,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Stoneway Farm; B-Clearsky
Farms (KY); T-Michael W. McCarthy. $36,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 2, 1HF. Odds: 0.60, 3.60, 3.60.
Also Ran: Sakura Flavor (Ire), Elounda Queen (Ire). Scratched: Grace Period (Fr), Khinjani (GB). Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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‘Deuce’-s Wild In The Arima Kinen

The second betting choice to–finally–build on a championship season in 2021 and a Classic-winning campaign last season, Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}) was produced wide into the Nakayama straight by the ageless Yutaka Take and outbattled the positively ridden 4-year-old filly Stars on Earth (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) to take out Sunday's G1 Arima Kinen, the fan-voted 'Grand Prix' of Japan. Titleholder (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}) made the majority of the running, but where he weakened out to finish down the field 12 months ago, held courageously for third in his final career start.

Outfooted and relegated to the tail of the field, with 5-2 pick Justin Palace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn})–runner-up to Equinox (Jpn) (Kitasan Black {Jpn}) in the G1 Tenno Sho (Autumn)– bringing up the rear, the 2022 G1 Tokyo Yushun hero traveled strongly for Take, as Titleholder opened a long lead through the middle stages as was widely expected. Keeping his mount out wide and out of harm's way, Take slipped Do Deuce some rein as they took the rise with 800 metres to race, but Titleholder wasn't coming back to the field just yet and carried a healthy advantage into the final 600 metres.

But the swoopers began to chime in, as Do Deuce got underway at the midpoint on the turn and was four deep, but gaining on the front-runner nearing the entrance to the straight as Stars on Earth plugged on at the fence. Titleholder was brave on the lead and stuck on well into the final furlong, but he just couldn't quite see it out, as Do Deuce rolled home to outfinish the 2022 G1 Yushun Himba heroine, giving Take an 81st elite-level success on the JRA. Next in was Justin Palace  followed by 2021 Derby winner Shahryar (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}), while reigning Derby winner Tastiera (Jpn) (Satono Crown {Jpn}) was sixth.

Last but one in last year's G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, Do Deuce resumed with a cracking victory in the G2 Kyoto Kinen Feb. 12, an effort that propelled him in most circles to favourite's status for the G1 Dubai Turf. Forced to withdraw from the contest in the days leading up to it, the bay was somewhat disappointing when a first-up seventh to Equinox in the Tenno Sho and was a latest fourth to the now-retired Horse of the Year in the G1 Japan Cup Nov. 26. The two most recent efforts came with Keita Tosaki on his back, but it was Take renewing acquaintances Sunday, having recently returned from an injury-enforced absence.

“It's great to comeback with Do Deuce to win this race against some really strong opponents,” said Take, winning his fourth Arima Kinen, three of which have occurred on Christmas Eve. “He was in good shape coming into this race and although the colt was a bit keen, I had to keep him in hand and maintain a good rhythm and not let him rush and gave him the go from about 700 metres out. His response was very good rounding the last corner and gave a terrific late charge to the wire. We did have our struggles after winning the Kyoto Kinen early this year, but I was determined to show his true strength and prove what he was really made of in this big race.”

Pedigree Notes:

Two-time graded-stakes winner Dust and Diamonds, also runner-up to Groupie Doll in the 2012 GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint for Padua Stables and Richard Santulli, changed hands for $900,000 at that year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale and won the GIII Sugar Swirl S. in a single racetrack appearance for Borges Torrealba Holdings and Three Chimneys Farm. The mare foaled MGSP Much Better (Pioneerof the Nile) for that operation before being purchased by Katsumi Yoshida for an even $1 million in foal to Pioneerof the Nile at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale.

Carrying the distinctive Shadai black-and-yellow stripes, Heart's Cry was runner-up to King Kamehameha (Jpn) in the 2004 Tokyo Yushun and ninth in this event behind Zenno Rob Roy. He ran with credit, albeit without winning, early on at four in 2005, but blossomed really and truly at the back end of the season, missing by a nose to the Luca Cumani-conditioned Alkaased in the G1 Japan Cup before famously handing Deep Impact (Jpn) his only domestic defeat in that year's Arima Kinen. Heart's Cry became the second Japanese-based winner of the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in 2006 and was third to Hurricane Run (Ire) and Electrocutionist in the G1 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond S. at Ascot, but was well held behind Deep Impact in that year's Japan Cup.

Do Deuce is one of a dozen top-level scorers for his sire, whose daughter Lys Gracieux (Jpn) was brilliant in winning the 2019 Arima Kinen. Heart's Cry passed away this past March aged 22, but was represented posthumously by Continuous (Jpn), victorious in this year's G1 St Leger. Heart's Cry's recently repatriated American dual-surface Grade I winner Yoshida (Jpn) is out of the Grade I-winning Hilda's Passion, whose sire Canadian Frontier was a son of Gone West and Borodislew (Seattle Slew).

Kieffers purchased the Real Steel (Jpn) half-brother to Do Deuce for a sales-topping ¥94.6 million (approximately $664,000) at the 2022 Northern Farm Foal Sale and Dust and Diamonds foaled a filly by Silver State (Jpn) this past Mar. 20 before visiting Triple Crown winner and Horse of the Year Contrail (Jpn).

Sunday, Nakayama, Japan
ARIMA KINEN-G1, ¥959,860,000, Nakayama, 12-24, 3yo/up, 2500mT, 2:30.90, gd/fm.
1–DO DEUCE (JPN), 128, c, 4, by Heart's Cry (Jpn)
1st Dam: Dust and Diamonds (MGSW & GISP-US, $496,260), by Vindication
2nd Dam: Majestically, by Gone West
3rd Dam: Darling Dame, by Lyphard
O-Kieffers Co Ltd; B-Northern Farm; T-Yasuo Tomomichi; J-Yutaka Take; ¥503,420,000. Lifetime Record: Ch. 2yo Colt-Jpn, 12-6-1-1, $7,671,573. *1/2 to Much Better (Pioneerof the Nile), MGSP, $332,204. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Stars on Earth (Jpn), 123, f, 4, Duramente (Jpn)–Southern Stars (GB), by Smart Strike. O-Shadai Race Horse; B-Shadai Farm; T-Mizuki Takayanagi; J-Christophe Lemaire; ¥200,972,000.
3–Titleholder (Jpn), 128, h, 5, Duramente (Jpn)–Mowen (GB), by Motivator (GB). (¥20,000,000 Wlg '18 JRHAJUL). O-Hiroshi Yamada; B-Okada Stud; T-Toru Kurita; J-Kazuo Yokoyama; ¥130,486,000.
Margins: HF, 1, HD. Odds: 4.20, 7.60, 7.30.
Also Ran: Justin Palace (Jpn), Shahryar (Jpn), Tastiera (Jpn), Win Marilyn (Jpn), Sol Oriens (Jpn), Harper (Jpn), Ho O Emmy's (Jpn), Iron Barows (Jpn), Through Seven Seas (Jpn), Lilac (Jpn), Pradaria (Jpn), Deep Bond (Jpn), Heat on Beat (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart & video.

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