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Shirreffs ‘Looking Forward To The Big ‘Cap’ After San Pasqual Win By Express Train

It's full steam ahead for C R K Stable's Express Train as he ran perhaps the best race of his career in winning the Grade 2, $200,000 San Pasqual Stakes for the second year in a row and stamped himself a primary contender for the Grade 1, $650,000 Santa Anita Handicap on March 5 at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Trained by John Shirreffs and ridden by Victor Espinoza, Express Train, who was in the thick of a hot early pace duel, powered to a 3 ¼-length victory while covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.99.

With Eight Rings breaking on top, Express Train, along with both American Theorem and Law Professor, were in hot pursuit in the run to the Club House turn. With American Theorem taken back off the dueling leaders at the seven-furlong pole, Express Train settled into a nice rhythm with Law Professor to his outside in the run to the far turn.

John Velazquez, aboard Eight Rings, stepped on the gas three furlongs out, but Express Train was just three quarters of a length back and he enjoyed a one length edge at the quarter pole. At that point, Law Professor loomed ominously turning for home, but Express Train was able to shrug off the challenge approaching the furlong marker in a huge effort.

“It got a little complicated out of the gate because I thought the two horses outside of me were going to go and make the pace,” said Espinoza. “Then the one (longshot Kiss Today Goodbye) decided to take back…So that kind of made my decision to go forward and stay there rather than be stuck on the inside. It's all about the horses too. Express Train, he helped me to move with such confidence at that point that I was not afraid to just let him go.

“I think the last time (a nose victory in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes Dec. 26), he won but he was not 100 percent, because he had a little time off in between that race. But now, he's ready to go. I had the opportunity to come and work him a couple times…Coming into this race I was confident but in the race, anything can happen. Things got a little complicated, but we resolved them quick.”

The 8-5 favorite in a field of six older horses, Express Train, a 5-year-old horse by Union Rags, paid $5.20, $2.80 and $2.10.

Owned by Lee and Susan Searing's C R K Stable, LLC, Express Train, who is out of the Mineshaft mare I'm a Flake, registered his fourth graded stakes win and improved his overall mark to 16-6-4-3. With the winner's take of $120,000, he increased his earnings to $935,800.

“I think this was a little bit more difficult for him,” said Shirreffs, when asked to compare Express Train's win today with his triumph in the 2021 San Pasqual. “There was lot going on early with the fast pace…Nobody got to relax because Mike's horse (Smith, aboard American Theorem) came up on the outside and wanted to force the pace so it was do or die time then. We're looking forward to the Big 'Cap.”

Trained by Michael McCarthy and ridden by Juan Hernandez, Law Professor, who came into the race off a big win in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Mathis Mile Dec. 26, looked as though he'd give the winner all he wanted, but couldn't go with him the final three sixteenths of a mile. Off at 4-1, he paid $4.20 and $2.60 while finishing 2 ½ lengths in front of early leader Eight Rings.

Ridden by John Velazquez, Eight Rings, the 2-1 favorite, paid $2.40 to show while finishing three quarters of a length in front of stablemate Spielberg.

Fractions on the race were 22.72, 47.16, 1:11.75 and 1:37.32.

First post time for a nine-race card, which will include two graded stakes on Sunday, is at 12:30 p.m. Admission gates open at 10:30 a.m.

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Mating Plans: Sun Valley Farm

With the 2022 breeding season right around the corner, we will feature a series of breeders' mating plans over the coming weeks. Today we have Barry Butzer of Sun Valley Farm.

WILLA (m, 5, Will Take Charge–Miss Kilroy, by A.P. Indy), to be bred to Blame, and her half-sister KITTY (m, 3, Street Boss–Miss Kilroy, by A.P. Indy), to be bred to Union Rags

Very lucky to have my dad at side the day Miss Kilroy strode into the ring at the 2009 January Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale, an 11-year-old A.P. Indy daughter with one winner. While I thought about it, he bought her. In the next 18 months, she produced her first stakes winner, and yet another daughter became stakes placed in a Group 1 in Ireland.

Fast forward 13 years and she turned out to be one of the best impulse buys of all time for us, a page that has expanded to include five individual stakes-producing daughters. While Miss Kilroy (at age 24) is happily enjoying her retirement, these (two of her last three daughters) are just beginning their careers as broodmares:

Willa, a minor winner from three starts, is expecting her first foal by Gun Runner next month, and heads to Blame this season. I can't think of a better stallion to start a young mare. From a personal perspective, we raised a very talented Blame filly, a wire-to-wire winner in an Oaklawn maiden special last month. Produced from an Unbridled's Song mare, the choice was obvious.

Although unraced, Kitty is a solidly built sprinter-type much like her sire, Street Boss. Thought Union Rags was an excellent choice for her. We have had a number of them and he always provides size, scope and athleticism. Think he is in a great spot to use, having experienced big books filled with quality mares of late, while standing at twice the fee.

COURT APPEAL (m, 11, Candy Ride {Arg}–Rehear, by Coronado's Quest), to be bred to Charlatan

Presently in foal to Frosted, Court Appeal is off to a fast start as a producer. Her first foal is the multiple stakes winner Elle Z (City Zip) and her second foal is the talented GI-stakes placed Ginsburned (Noble Mission {GB}). Hard to imagine, other than both being Lane's End Stallions, two stallions with [such] vastly different profiles, so I kind of think she could be the real deal. Her current 3-year-old, Mrs Whistler (Tonalist), owns some fairly impressive works for owner MyRacehorse.

Charlatan has the goods, and is a slam dunk commercially. Competition was keen to get a nice mare in, so we chose Court Appeal. I always like to double up on important females, and this mating finds Silken Doll (second dam of Speightstown) repeated as Court Appeal's third dam.

BETWIXTING (m, 6, Macho Uno–Between the Clouds, by Sky Classic), to be bred to Quality Road

Homebred Betwixting provided us an exciting 2021, reeling off five straight wins, culminating with a win in the listed Satin and Lace S. She hails from a productive Sam-Son Farm family, her dam being a half-sister to a champion grass horse in Canada.

Betwixting turned out to be a real sprint specialist, with a devastating late kick at five and six furlongs. Quality Road has proven to be a consistent source of two-turn, Saturday afternoon graded stakes winners, so I thought it was a great match. As it turns out, Corniche (Quality Road)'s dam is Blushing Groom/Nijinsky, a pedigree with very strong similarities to our Betwixting.

HIGH STYLE (m, 15, Giant's Causeway–Tout Charmant, by Slewvescant), to be bred to Essential Quality, and her daughter MCNALLY (m, 4, Liam's Map), to be bred to Candy Ride {Arg}

High Style is another mare that has produced a couple of graded stakes horses for us, including New and Improved (Cairo Prince), winner of Belmont's GII Sands Point S. New and Improved made news recently–as the second highest-selling mare in foal to Authentic–at the Keeneland November Sale. Versatile producer with winners at the top level on the dirt, grass and synthetic.

Champion and Classic winner Essential Quality will be High Style's most accomplished mate to date. You can't help becoming enamored with his race record and deep family ties. He was all class as he struck a pose in the Godolphin yard the afternoon we paid a visit; when he went for a walk, he sealed the deal.

McNally will start her new career visiting the court of leading sire Candy Ride {Arg}. Arguably the most accomplished of proven sires, and looks to be establishing a sire-of-sires line few in history can match. Again, when it comes to young mares, the proven sire is the best choice.

Candy Ride provides that in spades, and has a real affinity for the Unbridled's Song line.

DIVINE ESCAPADE (m, 13, A.P. Indy–Madcap Escapade, by Hennessy), to be bred to Candy Ride {Arg}

Presently in foal to Curlin, a multiple stakes-producing A.P. Indy mare, whose first dam was not only a sales topper, but known to put on a show in a Grade I. Her first two stakes horses to date (by Speightstown and by Runhappy), have both shown ability; her 3-year-old (Blame) filly is in Japan; and her Gun Runner (2-year-old) and Good Magic (yearling) are both in good hands.

For reasons stated above, Candy Ride made the most sense in this spot as well. This mare is a typical A.P. Indy (except for her chestnut color), big frame and plenty of bone.

On pedigree, physical presence and the success of this cross, Candy Ride made all the sense in the world. Additionally, her Gun Runner 2-year-old looks to be pretty special.

CHAUSIE (m, 14, Bluegrass Cat--Descapate, by Dehere), to be bred to Omaha Beach, and MARRAKESH EXPRESS (m, 8, Union Rags–Layounne, by Mt. Livermore), to be bred to Improbable

Two other mares share a connection in each having a filly sell at Saratoga last year–a Union Rags and a Munnings [respectively]–two fillies we have high hopes for, in their future racing careers.

Chausie, presently in foal to Munnings, is a graded stakes-winning producer and consistently gets a good sales type. She heads to Omaha Beach this season. Her dam, Descapate, won stakes by as many as seven lengths, a family we believe in. Omaha Beach is a can't miss and comes from one of the best families in the stud book. The opportunity of Dehere 4×3 definitely drove this mating.

Marrakesh Express, presently in foal to Global Campaign, is from a prestigious Harbor View Farm family and is booked to Improbable for 2022. He is the one first-year horse I missed out on in 2021. This mare's Munnings filly was in our top five that year; leggy filly and all quality. One look at this horse, and there is no question that these Improbable foals will make everyone's short list at the sales.

Let us know who you're breeding your mares to in 2022, and why. We will print a selection of your responses in TDN over the coming weeks. Please send details to: garyking@thetdn.com.

The post Mating Plans: Sun Valley Farm appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Spielberg Could Target Big ‘Cap After Comeback Allowance Win

With his well fancied stablemate Classier duking it out on the front end with second choice Vittorio, Bob Baffert's Spielberg, idle since well beaten in the Grade 1 Florida Derby March 27, was more than happy to pounce on the tiring duo a quarter mile from home and he promptly waltzed to a three length score in Friday's $72,000 allowance feature at Santa Anita.

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Spielberg, a 4-year-old colt by Union Rags, got a flat mile in 1:38.89 registering his third win from 10 lifetime starts.

“We gave him plenty of time and unfortunately the other horse didn't run well,” said Baffert. “I just told Flavien to sit back there and let him run his race. We gave him some time off, he's filled out and we'll stay here with him. Something like the Big 'Cap (Santa Anita Handicap, G1 on March 5) would be more like it. He won't be shipping anywhere, he'll stay here.”

A comfortable third, about six lengths off the leaders heading up the backside, Prat began asking Spielberg to close in at the 3 ½ furlong pole and turning for home he had a length on Vittorio as Classier dropped back readily.

A winner of the G2 Los Alamitos Futurity in his final start at age two on Dec. 19, 2020, Spielberg was winless in three starts at three and was off at 5-2 in a field of five older horses, returning $7.40, $4.80 and $4.00.

Owned by Golconda Stables, Madaket Stables, LLC, SF Racing, LLC, Siena Farm, LLC, Starlight Racing and Robert Masterson, Spielberg, who is out of the Smart Strike mare Miss Squeal, fetched $1 million as a Keenland September Yearling. With today's winner's share of $43,200, he increased his earnings to $463,700 and improved his overall mark to 10-3-3-1.

Ridden by Edwin Maldonado, Wicked Trick, a 7-year-old gelding, rallied from last to finish 2 ¾ lengths in front of longshot Surfing Star. Off at 10-1, Wicked Trick paid $8.20 and $4.40.

Next to last in the early going, Surfing Star was up to touch Vittorio for third money by three quarters of a length. Ridden by Jessica Pyfer, Surfing Star was off at 24-1 and paid $6.40 to show.

Classier, with John Velazquez up, was eased through the lane and finished a distant last as the 4-5 favorite.

Fractions on the race were 23.09, 46.85, 1:12.16 and 1:25.29.

Special early first post time for a 10-race California Cup Day card on Saturday is at 12 noon. There is also a mandatory payout in the 20 cent Single Ticket Rainbow Pick Six Jackpot, with the possibility of a $4 million total pool. Admission gates open at 10 a.m.

The post Spielberg Could Target Big ‘Cap After Comeback Allowance Win appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Bloodlines Presented by Caracaro: Express Train Helps Write New Chapter For Historic Dixiana Farms

It takes a special kind of filly to win Saratoga's Test Stakes at seven furlongs and then come back two weeks later to score at 1 ¼ miles in the Alabama Stakes, but that's what the H. Allen Jerkens-trained November Snow (Storm Cat out of Princess Alydar, by Alydar) did in 1992. In the 30 years since, only one other filly, Society Selection, achieved this Grade 1 Saratoga double, and she, too, was trained by the late Hall of Famer who has been memorialized with a Grade 1 race named in his honor during the Saratoga meet.

Some other very good fillies have won both the Test and Alabama prior to November Snow, including Love Sign (1980), Go for Wand (1990) and Versailles Treaty (1991).

After retiring with eight wins from 22 starts and earnings in excess of $500,000, November Snow did not produce any stakes winners herself, but her daughters have more than made up for that shortcoming. Graded stakes-placed November Slew (by Seattle Slew) produced Hiraboku Wild, a multiple stakes winner in Japan. Arctic Drift (Gone West) produced Australian Group 2 winner Kuroshio. Indian Snow (A. P. Indy) produced G1 Carter Handicap and G2 Pennsylvania Derby winner and sire Morning Line (Tiznow) and listed winner Liam's Pride (Liam's Map).

I'm a Flake, a 2008 foal by Mineshaft, became the latest black-type producer for November Snow earlier this year when Express Train, a 4-year-old colt by classic-winning wire Union Rags, won the G2 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita for Lee and Susan Searing's C R K Stable and trainer John Shirreffs. He added a second G2 at Del Mar in the San Diego Handicap in August and most recently the G2 San Antonio Stakes on Santa Anita's opening day program on Dec. 26.

While Express Train has yet to hit the jackpot with a G1 victory (finishing second to Charlatan in the 2020 Malibu, second to Idol in the Santa Anita Handicap last March and third in the Gold Cup and Awesome Again during the summer and fall), he has defeated a host of G1 winners, most recently G1 Pennsylvania Derby winner Hot Rod Charlie and G1 American Pharoah winner Eight Rings in the San Antonio. Consistent and determined (he's been 1-2-3 in 12 of 15 starts), Express Train has the ability to score at the highest level.

Unplaced in four starts, I'm a Flake was bred in 2011 to Tiznow and entered in the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where she was purchased for $290,000 by Dixiana Farms, the historic Thoroughbred nursery purchased in 2004 by Florida businessman William Shively. The resulting foal, Snowbird was unplaced in three starts. Her second foal, Master Magician (also by Tiznow), was unplaced in eight starts.

I'm a Flake's first two foals sold well as yearlings, but Shively opted to keep the next one, a Union Rags filly named Layla. She broke her maiden at first asking, then was unsuccessful in two subsequent starts and is now a member of Dixiana's band of about 50 broodmares.

I'm a Flake had one more foal prior to Express Train, another son of Tiznow who brought $850,000 as a 2-year-old in training at the 2017 OBS March Sale. Named Praetorian, the gelding will soon turn 7 and remains in training, having won six of 36 starts, with 11 second-place finishes, primarily in claiming races.

After a barren year, I'm a Flake produced Express Train, who was purchased for $500,000 by the Mayberry Farm of Jeanne, April and Summer Mayberry on behalf of C R K Stable at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

According to Dixiana farm manager Robert Tillyer, I'm a Flake then had two successive barren years after being bred to Tiznow in 2017 and Gun Runner in 2018. Her 2020 foal, a colt by Accelerate, was purchased by Mayberry Farm on behalf of C R K Stable for $300,000 at Keeneland September.

Tillyer said Dixiana has a Union Rags–I'm a Flake weanling colt on the farm that likely will head to next year's Keeneland September Sale and she is currently in foal to Munnings, with an expected foaling date in late April. “The plan is to go back to Gun Runner,” Tillyer said.

Layla, the full sister to Express Train retained by Shively, has a Liam's Map 2021 colt that Tillyer said “is as nice as a weanling can be.”

This is Tillyer's second go-round at Dixiana, having worked at the farm when it was under different ownership in the late 1990s after arriving from England.

“A lot of good horses have come off that farm,” he said, naming 1997 champion and Group 1 Epsom Derby winner Benny the Dip and 1999 European champion 2-year-old colt Fasliyev, among others.

After spending 18 years working for Kentucky horseman William Betz, Tillyer returned to Dixiana in 2020 and has seen the farm reach new heights, selling its first million-dollar yearling this past year when a Quality Road colt brought $1.15 million.

The farm, located off Russell Cave northeast of Lexington, now encompasses about 840 acres and includes property from the old Domino Stud that once was part of the original Dixiana, whose founding dates back to 1877.

There is a lot of history to Dixiana Farms (you can read about it here), but new chapters continue to be written.

The post Bloodlines Presented by Caracaro: Express Train Helps Write New Chapter For Historic Dixiana Farms appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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