1st-Aqueduct, $82,450, Msw, 12-17, 2yo, f, 6f, 1:11.09, ft, 1 1/2 lengths. RECONCILE (f, 2, War Front–Welcoming {MSP, $179,812}, by Tapit) debuted as a 8-1 shot here. The gray filly seized the lead up the backstretch and kept to the task around the far turn. Accelerating past the eighth pole, the homebred won professionally by 1 1/2 lengths over Bourbon Serengeti (Distorted Humor). A half-sister to GIII Comley S. heroine Raging Sea (Curlin), the winner's dam produced a yearling filly by War Front and foaled a colt by Munnings May 8. She visited Quality Road for next year. Reconcile's third dam is a half-sister to Horse of the Year A.P. Indy (Seattle Slew), GI Preakness S. hero Summer Squall (Storm Bird) and the dam of GI Travers S. runner-up Mambo In Seattle (Kingmambo). Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $46,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O/B-R. S. Evans (KY); T-Linda Rice.
Following the controversial disqualification of Brick Ambush (Laoban), who crossed the wire second in Saturday's $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Series at Aqueduct, owner Dean Reeves said he will appeal the decision of the stewards.
In a roughly run race, there was an incident at the quarter-pole where Big Torpedo (Big Brown) and Solo's Fury (Solomini) both checked sharply. Big Torpedo finished fourth and Solo's Fury was last of 12. A strong case can be made that Antonio of Venice (Laoban), the race winner with Manny Franco aboard, came off the rail and started a chain reaction that caused the other two horses to steady. When the incident took place, Brick Ambush sat five wide and outside of the horses who were bothered. He never came in contact with another horse, changed paths or did anything else that would seem to warrant a disqualification.
Another possibility is that the stewards mistook Brick Ambush for the 11 horse, Solo's Fury, who does appear to come over and bother horses at the quarter pole, while Brick Ambush appears to be clear of the trouble at that point. Both jockeys were wearing white and green silks with green caps and were next to one another.
Second-place money in the Great White Way is $100,000. Brick Ambush was placed last.
“We are going to appeal it because I'm not really sure what happened,” Reeves said. “We were never involved in the conversation. It's been amazing, the number of people who have reached out or are making comments, people saying that's the worst thing they've ever seen in 40 years of watching races. I feel like I got robbed, like I got mugged. We have to appeal this. I want to see how they came to their conclusion that we had anything to do with it. I watched the slow motion and had it stop and start. I have some questions for them.”
Reeves said he did not even realize that his horse had been taken down until getting a call from his trainer, Danny Gargan. He then called the stewards, asking for an explanation
“I called to talk to the stewards,” he said. “I wanted to ask them why they took my horse down. I called three times. They hung up on me the first two times. The third time they said call us tomorrow morning. Needless to say, I was pretty upset.”
The Daily Racing Form's David Grening asked New York Gaming Commission steward Braulio Baeza Jr. to comment on the reason for the disqualification and was told “the outside horse [Brick Ambush] caused the pressure.” Grening wrote that the stewards declined to comment further.
According to reporting in the Daily Racing Form, a second owner has filed an appeal objecting to the stewards' decisions. Thomas Albrecht, the managing partner of the group that owns Big Torpedo, has filed an appeal of the stewards decision not to disqualify Antonio of Venice from first place.
A stewards' inquiry was posted shortly after the horses crossed the wire. Javier Castellano, who rode Big Torpedo told reporters that he claimed foul, but the stewards said that foul claim was never relayed to them. It took the stewards about 10 minutes to review the inquiry, but even after they reached their decision there was more cause for confusion. For about a minute after the inquiry sign was removed, the order of finish still read 1-12-3-7, which was the order the horses crossed the finish line. The numbers were then changed to 1-3-7-6 and the race was declared official.
The NYRA website features a “Stewards' Decision” page in which the stewards provide an explanation of what happened and the reason for their decision following an inquiry or an objection. For the Great White Way, here is what they wrote: “Steward's inquiry. At the 1/4 pole #12 Brick Ambush (Junior Alvarado) came in, causing a chain reaction. The #11 Solo's Fury (Jose Lezcano) pushes down into the #7 The Big Torpedo (Javier Castellano). After reviewing the video and speaking with the riders, the stewards disqualified the #12 Brick Ambush for interference and place him behind the #11 Solo's Fury. Official order of finish: 1-3-7-6.”
On Sunday evening, Junior Alvarado, the rider of Brick Ambush, was given a three-day suspension by the stewards.
The disqualification caused a firestorm on X, with the vast majority questioning the stewards call, which seemed so obviously wrong.
Among those who took to X was Mike Repole, who wrote, “yesterday's ninth race was one of the worst stewards' calls I have ever seen. This is a public video, evidence of the (New York) stewards' incompetence. This hurts gamblers, fans, and the integrity of the sport. The owners, trainers, jockeys, track employees, etc., have to deal with the incompetence of the (New York) stewards, that is not seen in public.”
Hot on the heels of the announcement that his US Classic-winning sire would be relocating to Japan in time for the 2024 breeding season, Shadai Race Horse's American-conceived, but Japanese-foaled Jantar Mantar (Jpn) (Palace Malice) provided the perfect advertisement Sunday with a smart success in the G1 Asahi Hai Futurity S. at Hanshin. With the victory, his third in as many trips to the races, the homebred is in the reckoning for champion Japanese 2-year-old male honours.
Favoured to build on his last-out score in the G2 Daily Hai Nisai S. at Kyoto Nov. 11, Jantar Mantar was one of the first to break the line from stall three, but there was plenty of speed on and he ultimately settled about mid-division. Second choice Strauss (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}), who was slightly tardy from barrier 17, was asked early by Tom Marquand and burned across to take up the running with fully 1000 metres to travel.
Riding the rails throughout beneath Yuga Kawada, Jantar Mantar was sent through inside of the well-backed, but difficult-to-handle Danon McKinley (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) three furlongs from home and struck the front inside of the weakening Strauss at the juncture of the inner and outer turf courses. Jantar Mantar drifted a bit, having hit the front relatively early, but had enough in hand to be home comfortably first, as Ecoro Walz (Jpn) (Black Tide {Jpn}) finished off well to be second. The filly Tagano Elpida (Jpn) (Kizuna {Jpn}) finished with credit in third, having skipped last weekend's G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies in favour of this spot. Danon McKinley was a disappointing eighth and Strauss equally so in 10th.
“I urged him to go a bit earlier than planned, as it didn't seem like we were going to get a clear path,” said Kawada, firmly entrenched in second in the jockeys' premiership behind Christophe Lemaire. “He has a good character and he's a highly capable horse, so I think he will continue to grow and I look forward to his future races.”
Pedigree Notes:
Jantar Mantar becomes the second elite-level winner for Palace Malice, whose first-crop son Structor won the 2019 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and was sold to Japanese interests in 2022 for his stallion career. Jantar Mantar is one of two of the sire's five graded/group winners that hails from an A.P. Indy-line dam and one of four of 11 stakes winners that are similarly bred. Jantar Mantar was produced on a similar cross to this year's listed winner Brocknardini, who is out of a daughter of Wilburn's sire Bernardini.
India Mantuana produced a career-best in upsetting the GIII Red Carpet H. over 11 furlongs on turf in 2018 and, after being led out unsold on a bid of $145,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November Sale, was purchased by Shadai for $100,000 pregnant to Accelerate at Keeneland January in 2020. She unfortunately aborted that foal and was bred to this sire prior to her export to Japan, where she slipped her Kizuna (Jpn) foal in 2022 and produced a filly by Pyro this past February.
Palace Malice is a half-brother to G1 Tenno Sho (Spring) winner Justin Palace (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) and Group 2 winner Iron Barows (Jpn) (Orfevre {Jpn}), who are set to meet in next Sunday's G1 Arima Kinen at Nakayama.
Sunday, Hanshin, Japan ASAHI HAI FUTURITY S.-G1, ¥135,740,000, Hanshin, 12-17, 2yo c/f, 1600mT, 1:33.80, gd/fm.
1–JANTAR MANTAR (JPN), 123, c, 2, by Palace Malice 1st Dam: India Mantuana (GSW-US, $223,100), by Wilburn 2nd Dam: Speed Wagon, by Tomorrows Cat 3rd Dam: Rajica, by El Baba 1ST GROUP 1 WIN. O-Shadai Race Horse Co Ltd; B-Shadai Farm; T-Tomokazu Takano; J-Yuga Kawada; ¥71,218,000. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, ¥116,810,000. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Ecoro Walz (Jpn), 123, c, 2, Black Tide (Jpn)–Petit Princesse (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn). 1ST BLACK-TYPE, 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK-TYPE. O-Masatoshi Haramura; B-Shimokobe Farm; ¥28,348,000.
3–Tagano Elpida (Jpn), 121, f, 2, Kizuna (Jpn)–Tagano Reventon (Jpn), by King Kamehameha (Jpn). 1ST BLACK-TYPE, 1ST GROUP 1 BLACK-TYPE. O-Ryoji Yagi; B-Niikappu Tagano Farm; ¥18,174,000,
Margins: 1 1/4, NK, HD. Odds: 1.70, 9.00, 12.20.
Also Ran: June Take (Jpn), Tagano Dude (Jpn), Satomino Kirari (Jpn), Set Up (Jpn), Danon McKinley (Jpn), Taiki Vainqueur (Jpn), Strauss (Jpn), Namura Hooker (Jpn), Band Shell (Jpn), Enya Love Faith (Jpn), Awesome Stroke (Jpn), Ask One Time (Jpn), Clean Air (Jpn), Miltenberg (Jpn). Click for the JRA chart.
Wynstock (Solomini), campaigned in partnership by Los Alamitos track owner Ed Allred and one-time Hollywood Park president and current Los Al vice president Jack Liebau, provided his New York-based stallion with his second stakes winner of the afternoon and first at the graded level when narrowly outlasting Stronghold (Ghostzapper) in Saturday's GII Los Alamitos Futurity.
It was the eighth victory in the 10 runnings of the Futurity since relocating to Orange County for trainer Bob Baffert and first since 2020. Ironically, Solomini crossed the wire best in the 2017 renewal, only to be demoted to third behind his 'TDN Rising Star' stable companion McKinzie. It was nearly deja vu all over again on Saturday.
Off at 13-1, the second-longest shot in the scratched-down field of five and easily least-preferred of the three Baffert entrants was ridden aggressively from the inside gate by Kyle Frey and set the pace in advance of Wine Me Up (Vino Rosso) as Ace of Clubs (Mor Spirit) poked through between them. Stronghold and odds-on 'TDN Rising Star' Coach Prime (Quality Road) raced at the back of a compact group as they turned down the backstretch.
Urged along as they raced into the final half-mile, Wynstock was put to a more vigorous drive as Wine Me Up and Coach Prime took runs at him from the outside. Three and four wide, respectively, into the lane, that duo failed to go on with it, and Stronghold emerged the biggest danger down inside. Wynstock and Stronghold exchanged two or three bumps in the final furlong and a half, and the former gutted out a narrow victory before withstanding a stewards' inquiry. Coach Prime re-rallied late to get within a length at the finish.
“He was on his toes and actually looked like he was going to run in the Champion of Champions,” Baffert said, referring to the famed Quarter Horse race. “He's a stout, beautiful horse. I'm just really happy for Doc. We go back way back. To have this moment is special. He bought him and trusted me. I'm so excited.”
Of Coach Prime, he added: “He was sort of in and out the whole way. He got a little warm behind the gate and got shuffled back a bit. He's still green.”
A $50,000 Keeneland September yearling turned $700,000 OBS April breezer, Wynstock burned plenty of money in his first two appearances, finishing a well-beaten fourth at 8-5 on Del Mar debut Aug. 25 and fifth as the 12-5 chalk over a rain-affected Santa Anita strip Sept. 30. The bettors deserted him for his latest and those that jumped ship paid for it, as Wnystock led all the way to graduate by 7 1/2 lengths going a mile in Arcadia Oct. 15.
Pedigree Notes:
McMahon and Hill Bloodstock paid $10,500 for Timberlea at the 2020 Keeneland January sale with the express intent of breeding her to Solomini, who was standing his first year at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds.
A half-sister to Grade III winner Untrapped (Trappe Shot) and from the deeper female family of champion Minardi and the excellent Tale of the Cat, Timberlea foaled a Mo Town filly this past Apr. 5 and returned to Solomini for her 2024 produce. The sire was also represented Saturday by New York Stallion S. heroine My Shea D Lady and the debuting Heavyweight Champs, promoted to second in the colts' division one race later.
Saturday, Los Alamitos LOS ALAMITOS FUTURITY-GII, $200,000, Los Alamitos, 12-16, 2yo, 1 1/16m, 1:43.53, ft.
1–WYNSTOCK, 120, c, 2, by Solomini 1st Dam: Timberlea, by Flatter 2nd Dam: Exit Three, by Giant's Causeway 3rd Dam: Castanea, by Horse Chestnut (SAf) 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($50,000 Ylg
'22 KEESEP; $700,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR). O-Edward C. Allred &
Jack Liebau; B-Empire Equines, LLC (NY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Kyle
Frey. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 4-2-0-0, $162,740. Werk Nick Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. *First graded stakes winner for freshman sire (by Curlin) 2–Stronghold, 120, c, 2, Ghostzapper–Spectator, by Jimmy
Creed. O/B-Eric Waller & Sharon Waller (KY); T-Philip D'Amato.
$40,000.
3–Coach Prime, 120, c, 2, Quality Road–Act Now, by Street
Sense. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($1,700,000
Ylg '22 KEESEP). 'TDN Rising Star' O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.;
B-Kim & Rodney Nardelli & William Werner & W.S. Farish (KY);
T-Bob Baffert. $24,000.
Margins: HF, HF, 2 1/4. Odds: 13.70, 4.10, 0.80.
Also Ran: Wine Me Up, Ace of Clubs. Scratched: Moonlit Sonata. Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
#2 WYNSTOCK ($29.40) and jockey @FreytheF comfortably led the field for 3/4 of a mile then battled #3 Stronghold down the stretch to win the G2 Los Alamitos Futurity for trainer @BobBaffert and owners Edward “Doc” Allred and Jack Liebau. pic.twitter.com/HZS2VtKenY
Los Alamitos Futurity for trainer 