Untapable | Horse Racing Free Tips

Saturday Insights: Santa Anita Saves The Best For Last

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10th-SA, $67K, Msw, 3yo, 6fT, 8:09 p.m.

Breaking from the far outside post in the nightcap at the Great Race Place, NUCLEAR (Justify) looks to start earning back some of his $1,550,000 price tag with a turf debut for trainer John Sadler. Out of GIII Schuylerville S. runner-up True Feelings (Latent Heat), the colt is a half-brother to SW Feeling Mischief (Into Mischief) and GSP Royal Act (American Pharoah) while Metro, his 2-year-old half-brother by Quality Road, outshone his brother in sales ring by bringing $2.5m from Talla Racing, Woodford Racing, and West Point at last year's Keeneland September Sale. True Feelings is herself a half-sister to the dam of champion 3-year-old filly Wait A While (Maria's Mon). This is also the extended family of dual Eclipse winner and successful sire Lookin At Lucky (Smart Strike).

On the complete opposite side of the gate, Precision Strike (Gun Runner) makes the races after bringing $485,000 out of last year's OBS April Sale. He's out of a half-sister to MGISW Winchester (Theatrical {Ire}) and MGSW Middleburg (Lemon Drop Kid) and starts Saturday out of the Doug O'Neill barn. TJCIS PPS

1st-TAM, $32K, Msw, 3yo, 1m 40yd, 12:25 p.m.

Another son of Gun Runner, St. Elias Stables LLC's ARCH RUNNER, kicks off the day's action in Florida for Todd Pletcher. A $750,000 Fasig-Tipton Fall Yearling Sale grad and a half-brother to MGSW & GISP Proctor's Ledge (Ghostzapper), the colt picks up jockey Luis Saez.

One gate to his inside, Champagne Juan (Justify) has put in a trio of bullet drills for trainer Christophe Clement and owner RT Racing Stable. The $500,000 Keeneland September yearling is a half to the dam of GSW & MGISP Will's Secret (Will Take Charge) while his own dam, GSW & MGISP Well Monied (Maria's Mon), is a half to GSW & GISP Economic Model (Flatter) and GSW Happy American (Runhappy). TJCIS PPS

10th-GP, $84K, Msw, 3yo, 1m, 4:37 p.m.

Rounding out the action in Florida, DREAMLIKE (Gun Runner) was a $975,000 St. Elias Stable and Repole Stable pick up out of Keeneland September in 2021. His dam is a full-sister to champion 3-year-old Untapable as well as a half to GISW Paddy O'Prado (El Prado {Ire}). Also under the second dam is 2023 Triple Crown contender Red Route One (Gun Runner). TJCIS PPS

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Oaks Prep: Promising Cocktail Moments Faces Turf Filly California Angel In Inaugural Untapable Stakes

Dixiana Farms and trainer Ken McPeek enjoyed a memorable moment, and perhaps a cocktail or two, after their promising filly ran off the screen on debut during the “Stars of Tomorrow” card at Churchill Downs. Now they can only hope that Cocktail Moments can take the next logical step in the inaugural running of the $100,000 Untapable Stakes over a 1 1/16 miles distance that is foreign to her. Restricted to 2-year-old fillies, the Untapable offers 10-4-2-1 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

Dismissed at odds of 26-1 on Nov. 27, the 2-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo was an unhurried tenth of 12 in the early stages of her debut. Nearing the turn of the seven furlong contest, she made a bold move while still in hand and was hung six-wide before engulfing her foes in the stretch and drawing off to win by 9 ¼ lengths, leaving the betting public stunned.

“They (the public) never bet me first time out, it's ok,” McPeek said. “I typically allow a horse to take some dirt in the face. In a way the debut is kind of a schooling race for me. I've had a list of horses in my career that we sent first time out and it blew their mind, so I just don't like doing that, gunning them away from there. For what, my ego? My win percentage?”

“Some of them win,” McPeek continued. “We've had a nice list of first timers this year that won from a little bit off the pace. That helps in their development. It's worth getting beat on occasion for their long-term development. That's always been my approach.”

Installed as the 3-1 morning line favorite, she'll join forces with jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. for her first route try from post 5 of 8 on Sunday.

“I think she'll handle the route without any trouble,” McPeek said. “She's still got some learning to do. She acts like she's got the turn of foot where if she gets in a nice rhythm and kicks on, that should be fine. Eric Heitzmann, my former assistant, is going to saddle him for me. She had a nice maintenance breeze at Fair Grounds on Wednesday. Four weeks after her maiden win, it's perfect timing for us to be there.”

The unquestioned class of the field is Chris Walsh's California Angel. Purchased for just $5,500 as an Ocala OPN 2-year-old in training, this daughter of California Chrome has already far exceeded expectations, upsetting the Jessamine (G3) on the Keeneland turf on Oct. 13 at odds of nearly 18-1. She would follow-up finishing 11th of 14 in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) at Del Mar, but she was only beaten four lengths by the winner. In her lone dirt start in career start number two of four, California Angel finished a late closing third of 11.

“I'm not worried about the dirt,” trainer Leonard said. “She'll handle the dirt just fine. I just put her on the grass and it happened she liked the grass but we're confident she will run well on the dirt.”

Having worn blinkers in all of her previous starts, California Angel will not wear the hood on Sunday. With Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. piloting her for the first time, the 4-1 second choice will leave from post position two.

“She didn't need them,” Leonard explained. “I think with the blinkers, she was looking around and couldn't see enough. She's ready for that. Hopefully she'll lay closer not as far behind with the blinkers off. She's maturing and growing a little bit. Nothing I haven't seen before. She's still the same. Doing very well. I think she will run really well.”

With a post time of 4:35 p.m. CT, the Untapable is scheduled as race 10 on the 13-race card. The remainder of the field with post position, jockey/trainer and morning line odds is as follows: Columbine Stables' Fannie and Freddie (post 1, Colby Hernandez/Al Stall, Jr., 9-2 ML), a dominant local maiden winner in her first try last out; Mike Dini's (owned & trained) Alittleloveandluck (post 3, Jereth Loveberry/Dini, 12-1 ML), a last out maiden winner against Florida-bred company on the Gulfstream Park Tapeta; Elements Racing's Implosion (post 4, Mitchell Murrill/Steve Margolis, 10-1 ML), the winner of a sales restricted maiden special weight event two starts back at Churchill Downs; Miacomet Farm's Feeling Happy (post 5, James Graham/James Baker, 8-1 ML), who is 3 for 3 in the money with her lone win coming in a sales restricted maiden special weight sprint at first asking at Churchill Downs in late September; Jeff Ganje and Omar Aldabbagh's Shotgun Hottie (post 7, Florent Geroux/Tom Amoss, 6-1 ML), a maiden of a sales restricted race in her first try around two turns last out at Churchill Downs; and Rebecca Hillen, Stonecrest Farms and Bruno De Julio's North County (post 8, Adam Beschizza/Brendan Walsh, 9-2 ML, who is perfect from two starts, both routes, over turf and Indiana and then slop at Keeneland. — Kristufek

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Immaculately Bred Empire Maker Filly Shines at Del Mar

6th-Del Mar, $72,500, Msw, 11-20, 2yo, f, 6 1/2f, 1:17.45, ft, 2 1/4 lengths.
EMPIRE GAL (f, 2, Empire Maker–Double Tapped, by Tapit) opened her account at first asking Saturday at Del Mar with a good-looking victory over 6 1/2 furlongs Saturday. Prominent in the early stages, the bay filly drifted back to a midfield position while racing well out into the track approaching the turn. Given her cue with a little less than three-eighths of a mile to travel, the 34-5 chance advanced four or five wide into the stretch, took aim on the front-runners nearing the furlong grounds and came away to a 2 1/4-length victory over longshot Peripheral (Ghostzapper). The debuting Micro Share (Upstart) won a photo for third over favored Adare Manor (Upstart). A half-sister to GSW Majestic Eagle (Medaglia d'Oro, $387,129), Empire Gal is out of a full-sister to champion and GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Untapable who was acquired by Bridlewood for $1.3 million in foal once again to Medaglia d'Oro at Fasig-Tipton November in 2015. Grade II-winning granddam Fun House (Prized) was named Broodmare of the Year in 2014 following Untapable's champion 3-year-old filly campaign and is also responsible for GISW Paddy O'Prado (El Prado {Ire}). Third dam Bistra (Classic Go Go) was a half-sister to GISW Olympio. Double Tapped is the dam of a Union Rags colt that fetched $200,000 from Untapable's owner Winchell Thoroughbreds at this year's Keeneland September sale and a weanling filly by Omaha Beach. She visited Nyquist this past breeding season. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $42,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O/B-Bridlewood Farm (FL); T-Michael W McCarthy.

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Two Turns the Ticket for Well-Bred Gun Runner Colt

6th-Ellis, $51,000, Msw, 8-13, 2yo, 1m, 1:35.96, ft, 4 1/4 lengths.
GUNTOWN (c, 2, Gun Runner–Fun House {Broodmare Of The Year, GSW, $432,922}, by Prized) added to his freshman sire (by Candy Ride {Arg})'s red-hot run, becoming Gun Runner's 10th winner right on the heels of a pair of graded stakes wins for the Three Chimneys inmate last weekend and a strong showing at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale earlier in the week. A $750,000 buyback last September, Guntown rallied for third after a rough start going seven furlongs here July 11. He was 5-2 stretching out to two turns, but made that price look like a gift. The bay chased fellow second timer Ignitis (Nyquist) through easily splits of :24.29 and :48.31 and put 4 1/4 lenfths on that foe in the stretch while appearing to relish the added real estate. The well-bred winner is half to Untapable (Tapit), Ch. 3-year-old Filly, MGISW, $3,926,625; and Paddy O'Prado (El Prado (IRE)), GISW, $1,721,297. He is the final listed foal for the 2014 Broodmare of the Year. Sales history: $750,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: 2-1-0-1, $35,700. Click for the Equibase.com chart.
O/B-Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Steven M. Asmussen.

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