Violence’s Mullikin Dominates Beneath the Twin Spires

11th-Churchill Downs, $120,000, Msw, 5-27, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:16.83, ft, 10 1/4 lengths.
MULLIKIN (c, 3, Violence–Tulira's Star {GSP}, by Congrats) donned cap and gown in the nightcap of Churchill's Saturday card by open lengths on the wire. Second in two prior outings–by a nose Feb.18 at Oaklawn Park on debut and then a game runner-up Apr. 8 at Keeneland trying seven furlongs–the Rodolphe Brisset trainee was well-supported for a third try at 3-5 favoritism and made it look a gift as he led the field wire to wire here. Cusp (City of Light) ran on for second at 10-1. The most recent winner for his dam, Mullikin has a yearling half-sister by McKinzie and a 2023 half-brother by Maxfield. Tulira's Star, a half-sister to GSW Mountain General (Mountain Cat) and to SW Tulira Castle (War Pass), also claims Text Queen (Strong Hope) as a half-relation; that mare being responsible for GSP Xoxo (Majestic Warrior); SP Queens Up (Classic Empire); and SP Everqueen (Colonel john). This is the extended female family of GISW Storm Towner (Irish Tower) and GISP & GSW Psyched (Hagley). Sales history: $500,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 3-1-2-0, $105,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Siena Farm LLC and WinStar Farm LLC; B-Fred W. Hertrich lll & John D. Fielding (KY); T-Rodolphe Brisset.

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Queen Picasso Rules The Soaring Softly

Though trainer Christophe Clement had to scratch his expected morning-line favorite from this event, he had more than enough talent waiting in the wings as Queen Picasso (GB) (Kingman {GB}), off a debut victory at Gulfstream Apr. 5, made it two-for-two with a win in the GIII Soaring Softly S.

Unveiled around two turns in south Florida, the half-sister to G1SW Acclaim (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) had already proven her affinity for the grass while her main rival, race-time favorite Lady Beth (Hard Spun), was forced to debut over the all-weather track at Gulfstream in a rained-off contest Feb. 2. Shortened up to the seven furlongs Saturday, Queen Picasso enjoyed a dream trip, jumping alertly and moving between rivals to race comfortably just off the outside of GIII Matron S. winner American Apple (American Pharoah). The field remained tightly bunched through an opening quarter in :23.06 and it was apparent that Jose Ortiz's filly wanted to run. She began to inch up on American Apple as they made their way around the far turn and the top pair was nearly on even terms past the quarter pole. With plenty left despite contesting a :45.83 half mile, Queen Picasso really began to draw away inside the furlong marker to win going away over American Apple.

“Jose [Ortiz] gave her a good ride,” said Clement. “They told me a lot of them [Kingman progeny] get a mile, so she might be a miler. She won well. The only thing I told Jose was to be careful, she can be a touch aggressive and a touch rank. I think he was a bit worried that the horse on the lead [No. 3, American Apple] would steal the race and that's the reason he kept at it.”

Pedigree Notes:

A top-five leading sire in Europe, Kingman (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}) earned his 36th graded/group winner in the Northern Hemisphere Saturday with Queen Picasso's win. Aris (Ire) (Danroad {Aus}) has produced five winners from six foals to the make the races–her best being Acclaim (Ire), winner of the G1 Qatar Prix de la Foret. The dam herself is a half-sister to MG1SW Again (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}) who went on to produce a pair of group-placed Galileo full-siblings in Delphina (Ire) and Delano Roosevelt (Ire). Further back in the family is European champion 3-year-old colt Montjeu (Ire) (Sadler's Wells). Queen Picasso's now 2-year-old half-brother by Advertise (GB) failed to meet his reserve when bringing a final bid of 280,000gns.

Saturday, Belmont Park
SOARING SOFTLY S.-GIII, $169,750, Belmont, 5-27, 3yo, f, 7fT, 1:21.24, fm.
1–QUEEN PICASSO (GB), 118, f, 3, by Kingman (GB)
             1st Dam: Aris (Ire) (SP-Ire), by Danroad (Aus)
             2nd Dam: Cumbres (Fr), by Kahyasi (Ire)
              rd Dam: Floripedes, by Top Ville (Ire)
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. (200,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Siena Farm LLC, Michael E. Kisber, Peter Deutsch & The Elkstone Group, LLC (Stuart Grant); B-D. Farrington And Canning Downs (GB); T-Christophe Clement; J-Jose L. Ortiz. $96,250. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $138,250. *1/2 to Aclaim (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}), G1SW-Fr, MGSW-Eng, GSP-Ire, $595,666. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–American Apple, 123, f, 3, American Pharoah–Miss Mary Apples, by Clever Trick. ($600,000 RNA 2yo '22 KEENOV). O-KatieRich Stables LLC; B-KatieRich Farms (KY); T-Daniel Leitch. $35,000.
3–Lady Beth, 118, f, 3, Hard Spun–Boreale, by Makfi (GB). 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($20,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $67,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $390,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Richard Schermerhorn; B-J. D. Stuart, P. C. Bance & Godolphin (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $21,000.
Margins: 2, NK, 2 3/4. Odds: 2.85, 2.45, 1.10.
Also Ran: Quarrel, Senior Prank. Scratched: Love Appeals.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

 

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Daughter Of Omaha Beach Storms Home In Debut Win At Churchill

3rd-Churchill Downs, $80,000, Msw, 5-27, 2yo, f, 5f, 1:00.27, ft, head.
EASY RED (f, 2, Omaha Beach–Blessings Count, by Pulpit) was hammered at the windows from 5-1 down to 3-2 in her debut here for first-crop sire Omaha Beach (by War Front), who recorded his first winner with Cynane May 5 at Belmont Park. The chestnut filly trailed early, but began to make up ground around the far turn. Racing out in the center of the track, Easy Red laid down a furious rally down the lane and with less than a sixteenth left, got up just in time over Luxuriate (Outwork) to graduate by a head. Second dam MGSW Topicount (Private Account) also produced GSP Winning Season (Lemon Drop Kid), who is responsible for Sennockian Storm (Storm Cat)–dam to GSWs Honey Bunny (Tapizar) and Dr. Edgar (Lookin At Lucky). The winner claims half-sister Minds Eyes (Macho Uno), SP, $167,504 and half-brother Rodaini (Exchange Rate), SW-Eng, SP-UAE, $323,852. She is her dam's last recorded foal. Sales History: $40,000 Wlg '21 KEENOV. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $40,320. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG. O-Donald R. Dizney; B-Ron Stolich & Matchstalk Investments (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill.

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Forte, Angel of Empire, Hit Show Lead Belmont Work Tab; Kingsbarns Ruled Out

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher gave a “thumbs up” following a Saturday morning breeze from Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's reigning champion 2-Year-Old Forte (Violence), who worked five-eighths over the Belmont Park main track in preparation for the GI Belmont S.

NYRA clockers caught Forte through three-eighths in :35 before completing five furlongs in 1:00.44 and galloping out six furlongs in 1:13 over the fast main track.

“I was really, really happy. I thought he was moving great. He got into a good rhythm, finished up great and galloped out nice and well,” Pletcher said. “It seems like he's maintained his fitness level. We thought that last week when he breezed a half that he recovered pretty quickly, and even more so today after a strong breeze and big gallop out. It seems like everything is in good order.”

Pletcher said Dr. Sarah Hinchliffe, NYRA's Senior Examining Veterinarian, was pleased with the work and subsequent exam.

“It went very well. She examined him before he breezed, watched him on the track during the breeze and after the breeze and then came back to the barn and examined him again,” Pletcher said. “She said she was happy. They pulled blood and she gets results in five days on that and that should take care of everything.”

He added that both Forte and Tapit Trice (Tapit) would likely log their final Belmont Stakes breezes Saturday, June 3.

Pletcher also reported that GII Louisiana Derby winner Kingsbarns (Uncle Mo), who finished 14th in the GI Kentucky Derby, will miss the Belmont Stakes after he missed a scheduled breeze on Friday while demonstrating signs of colic that morning.

“We're going to be knocked off course. He had a bout of colic,” Pletcher said. “He's fine, no surgery needed. They just have to administer some fluids. It's unfortunate timing, but it's not something that we can [control]. We can't get a breeze in the next day or two so we're going to run out of time. We'll make sure he's OK and then come up with a game plan.”

Brad Cox's GI Belmont S. contenders Angel of Empire (Classic Empire) (five furlongs, :59.80) and Hit Show (Candy Ride {Arg}) (five furlongs, 1:00.20) worked Saturday in preparation for the June 10 classic.

Angel of Empire was one of the first workers to go as the track opened at 5:30 a.m. when he and stablemate Warrant (Constitution) (five furlongs, 1:00.20) worked in company. Shortly after their move, Hit Show breezed outside Salute the Stars (Candy Ride {Arg}).

Another Saturday morning worker was Lucky Seven Stable's Smile Happy (Runhappy), the winner of the GII Alysheba S. on Kentucky Oaks Day. He returned to the work tab for the first time since the Alysheba and completed an easy half-mile in :49.60 at 9 a.m.

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