Tag: win and you’re in

Arabian Knight Gives Baffert Record-Breaking Win in Pacific Classic

Sent off as the 2-1 favorite despite a below-par third behind the re-opposing Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. July 22, Zedan Racing Stable's 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) became the first 3-year-old since Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}) in 2014 to best his elders in the GI FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic at Del Mar, earning a spot in the field for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita in the process.

“Those two horses (Arabian Knight and Geaux Rocket Ride) are really good horses,” winning Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert said. “The wire couldn't come soon enough. I know it was crazy to come back here and run him at a mile and a quarter, but if you're going to get beat, I'd rather get beat in a Grade I. I loved the way he digs and fought and he's going to get better.”

Kicked straight into the lead from an outside gate by Flavien Prat–who was the passenger aboard Flightline in last year's history-making Pacific Classic, the $2.3-million topper from the 2022 OBS April Sale made the running once guided down onto the fence as Geaux Rocket Ride tracked from just behind while also hugging the inside.

Controlling the pace down the backstretch and around the second turn, Arabian Knight began to feel pressure from Slow Down Andy (Nyquist) as Geaux Rocket Ride was poised to pounce. It appeared as if the front-runner was in hot water, but he continued to find at the rail and was home narrowly best over Geaux Rocket Ride to give trainer Bob Baffert his record-setting seventh win in the race, breaking a tie with the late Bobby Frankel.

A 'Rising Star' on debut over Breeders' Cup weekend at Keeneland last fall, Arabian Knight splashed home an easy winner while making his two-turn debut in Oaklawn's GIII Southwest S. Jan. 28. He returned from the shelf with a third-place finish as the favorite in the Jersey Shore centerpiece last time.

“He's a nice horse and he showed it today,” Prat said. “He was running easily for me all the way around. He's lightly raced and I think this race will only make him better. It's an honor to win a big race like this.”

Pedigree Notes:

A 15th Grade I winner for the outstanding Uncle Mo, Arabian Knight is out of Borealis Night, herself a $450,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling, who was fourth in a lone racetrack appearance for owner/trainer Ralph Nicks in late 2018 and was scooped up by Nathan McCauley's River Oak Farm for just $50,000 at the Fasig-Tipton February a few months later.

The mare had some pedigree underneath her as a half-sister to the three-times graded-placed Kinsley Kisses (Congrats) and GSP Spooky Woods (Ghostzapper) and that helped earn her a date in the breeding shed with Uncle Mo. Consigned to the 2019 Keeneland November Sale, Borealis Night was hammered down to Corser Thoroughbreds for $285,000 and the operation recovered a fair bit of that outlay when Scott and Evan Dilworth paid $250,000 for the colt at Keeneland September in 2021.

Prepared by Top Line Sales, agent, for last year's OBS April Sale, the bay breezed an eighth of a mile in :9 4/5 and went on to top the event on a bid of $2.3 million from Gary Young, agent for Zedan Racing Stable. The latter also purchased Princess Noor (Not This Time) off Top Line for a sales-topping $1.35 million at OBSAPR in 2020.

The first daughter of Astrology to be represented by a stakes winner, Borealis Night is also the dam of a yearling colt by Quality Road.

Saturday, Del Mar Thoroughbred
FANDUEL RACING PACIFIC CLASSIC S.-GI, $1,002,500, Del Mar, 9-2, 3yo/up, 1 1/4m, 2:03.19, ft.
1–ARABIAN KNIGHT, 118, c, 3, by Uncle Mo
                1st Dam: Borealis Night, by Astrology
                2nd Dam: Winter Forest, by Forestry
                3rd Dam: Shivering Six, by Saratoga Six
1ST GRADE I WIN. 'TDN Rising Star'. ($250,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $2,300,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Corser Thoroughbreds LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Flavien Prat. $600,000. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-1, $1,244,275. Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus* Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Geaux Rocket Ride, 118, c, 3, Candy Ride (Arg)–Beyond Grace, by Uncle Mo. ($350,000 Ylg '21 FTKJUL). O-Pin Oak Stud LLC; B-OXO Equine LLC (KY); T-Richard E. Mandella. $200,000.
3–Slow Down Andy, 124, c, 4, Nyquist–Edwina E, by Square Eddie. O/B-Reddam Racing, LLC (CA); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $120,000.
Margins: NK, 1 1/4, 1. Odds: 2.10, 2.20, 11.30.
Also Ran: Senor Buscador, Skinner, Defunded, Piroli, Tripoli, Order and Law, Stilleto Boy. Scratched: Katonah.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Motorious Motors Home In Green Flash, Earns BC Turf Sprint Berth

Anthony Fanticola's Motorious (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) rallied smartly through the final furlong and half to prove a much-the-best winner of Saturday's GIII Green Flash H. at Del Mar, sewing up a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint up the road at Santa Anita in early November in the process.

Sent off the 13-5 favorite with Geovanni Franco replacing the injured Umberto Rispoli in the irons, Motorious raced in about seventh position of the 12 runners down the backstretch, but not terribly far off the pace disputed by 60-1 Helladic (Kantharos) and Cal-bred standout 3-year-old Bus Buzz (Stay Thirsty). Kept purposely in the clear for the run around the turn, Motorious was five to six wide off the final corner, kicked it into another gear with a furlong to race and charged home down the middle of the course to score convincingly. Cherubic Factor (The Factor) outfinished the rail-rallying Beer Can Man (Into Mischief) for second.

“I got lucky enough to where Phil would let me work him a few times in the morning so I got pretty familiar with the horse,” said Franco of the chance to ride Motorious. “Being given the opportunity for me was a blessing and of him being open for the race. To get to ride him, it gave me a lot of confidence. And you know what, I didn't know how much he can run in the afternoon, but he can sure run. Phil told me he needed a clear break out of the gate, and he broke like a champion. From then on it was just a matter of time whenever I was going to ask him to go and he sure did.”

A two-time winner in seven English appearances for trainer Stuart Williams before being purchased by Craig Rounsefell's Boomer Bloodstock for 220,000gns at the 2021 Tattersalls Autumn Horses In Training Sale, Motorious made a course-and-distance allowance his first U.S. victory last November and took a down-the-hiller at Santa Anita just after the new year before finishing second to Lane Way (Into Mischief) in the Jan. 29 Clockers Corner S. up north. Popular winner of the GIII San Simeon S. Mar. 5, Motorious was making his first start since rallying into second behind Nobals (Noble Mission {GB}) in the GII Turf Sprint S. at Churchill May 6.

Pedigree Notes:

Motorious is one of 11 group/graded winners for his sire, who was only recently moved to Haras du Petit Tellier to stand as the property of Shadwell and a consortium of French breeders. Motorious's multiple Group 3-placed dam is also responsible for Matters Most (GB) (Advertise {GB}), runner-up in the Listed Ripon Champion Two Yrs Old Trophy S. in August, a now-yearling colt by Sergei Prokofiev (Scat Daddy) that sold for 82,000gns at last year's Tattersalls November Foal Sale and a filly by Ardad (Ire) foaled Mar. 23.

Saturday, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
GREEN FLASH H.-GIII, $153,500, Del Mar, 9-2, 3yo/up, 5fT, :56.07, fm.
1–MOTORIOUS (GB), 123, g, 5, by Muhaarar (GB)
1st Dam: Squash (GB) (MGSP-Eng), by Pastoral Pursuits (GB)
2nd Dam: Super Midge (GB), by Royal Applause (GB)
3rd Dam: Sabina (GB), by Prince Sabo (GB)
(55,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT; 220,000gns 3yo '21 TATAHI). O-Anthony Fanticola; B-Kirtlington Stud & Mrs Mary Taylor (GB); T-Philip D'Amato; J-Geovanni Franco. $90,000. Lifetime Record: 15-6-4-2, $388,944. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Cherubic Factor, 120, g, 5, The Factor–Cherub, by Giant's Causeway. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($17,000 RNA Ylg '19 KEESEP; $46,000 2yo '20 OBSOPN). O-Exline-Border Racing LLC, Richard Hausman, William Dan Hudock and Susanna Wilson; B-David DiPietro (KY); T-Peter Eurton. $30,000.
3–Beer Can Man, 122, g, 5, Can the Man–Cheesecake, by Dynaformer. ($9,500 RNA Wlg '18 KEENOV). O-Little Red Feather Racing, Madaket Stables LLC and Sterling Stables, LLC; B-Ron Patterson (KY); T-Philip D'Amato. $18,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, NO, HF. Odds: 2.60, 22.00, 6.50.
Also Ran: Turn On The Jets (Ire), Lane Way, Bus Buzz, Bran (Fr), Silent Poet, Fast Buck, Packs a Wahlop, Helladic, Kid Corleone. Scratched: Barristan The Bold (GB), Mas Rapido (GB), Noble Re
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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Bright Future Follows In Dad’s Hoofprints In Jockey Club Gold Cup

Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable's lightly raced Bright Future (Curlin), a well-backed 7-2 in Saturday's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S. at Saratoga, dug down deep beneath the ageless Javier Castellano to hold off Proxy (Tapit) by a nose and punch his ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita.

“It was a good spot to try a Grade I and he delivered a big performance,” winning trainer Todd Pletcher said. “In order to go to the next one, he's going to need to make another move forward. It appears to be pretty wide open, the older horse division. I guess we will learn a little more in California tomorrow or Monday. We'll see.”

Showing good speed from his wide draw, the $350,000 KEESEP yearling chased pacesetting Warrior Johny (Cairo Prince) through a half-mile in :48.86. Clocking the front-runner's every move into the final half-mile, Bright Future was felt for and came with a two-wide run around the turn and was on even terms at the quarter pole.

Set down in upper stretch, Bright Future went by Warrior Johny with relative ease and got the bob in over the aforementioned last-out GIII Monmouth Cup S. winner. The latter raced just behind the pace, found daylight about four off the inside at the three-sixteenths and attacked the line willingly, but was on the losing end of the photo.

Bright Future, a sharp debut winner going a mile at Gulfstream last March, was third in his only subsequent start at three. He won two of four previous tries this term, including a last out optional claiming victory at the Spa with a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure July 21. He was eased in his lone prior attempt versus stakes company in the 12-furlong GII Brooklyn S. June 10.

“He's a horse that we've always thought a lot of,” Pletcher said. “I've got to give the Violas and the Repoles a lot of credit because we've had to kind of tap on the brakes a few times along the way and they gave him time to develop. We probably got a little ambitious when we tried the Brooklyn, maybe didn't have quite the foundation to be ready to go a mile and a half at that stage. We regrouped with the allowance race here and I thought it was a powerful performance, so from that time on we've been pointing for this and the horse has trained exceptionally well. Coming into it, we were optimistic he was ready to make a move forward.”

Winning co-owners Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola also teamed up to campaign Curlin's Vino Rosso, who concluded his career with an emphatic win in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic after getting controversially disqualified from a win in this same race at Belmont Park in 2019.

“I had a horse by Curlin named Vino Rosso that couldn't put it together at three, but now [Bright Future] has put it together at four,” Repole said. “I named the horse Bright Future for a reason. I knew he was going to be a later 3-year-old, 4-year-old horse and so far his name is fitting right now.”

After celebrating his first GI Kentucky Derby win aboard Mage (Good Magic) earlier this spring, the momentum has continued into the summer for Castellano. He is also the regular rider of GI Belmont S. winner and GI Travers S. winner Arcangelo (Arrogate).

“Thank God,” Castellano said. “I've been blessed, very lucky and very fortunate to ride the best horses, especially with Todd Pletcher, one of the best trainers in the country. He gave me the opportunity to ride this horse and that's the key. Keep positive and working hard, and see everything come around.”

Pedigree Notes:

Bright Future becomes the 22nd winner at the highest level for leading sire Curlin. He is the first Jockey Club Gold Cup winner for Curlin, a back-to-back winner of this race in 2007-08. Bellamy Road is also the broodmare sire of fellow Grade I winners Casa Creed (Jimmy Creed) and Cave Rock (Arrogate).

Bright Future's dam SW & GSP Sophia's Song is also responsible for the 2-year-old colt Booth (Mitole), a $225,000 OBS March purchase by Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt and Jackpot Farm; a Tiz the Law colt of 2022; and a Maxfield colt of this year. She was bred back to Jackie's Warrior.

Saturday, Saratoga Race Course
JOCKEY CLUB GOLD CUP S.-GI, $1,000,000, Saratoga, 9-2, 3yo/up, 1 1/4m, 2:03.00, ft.
1–BRIGHT FUTURE, 126, c, 4, by Curlin
                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 WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($350,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable; B-Clearsky Farms (KY); T-Todd A. Pletcher; Javier Castellano. $550,000. Lifetime Record: 7-4-0-2, $716,940. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue style pedigree.
2–Proxy, 126, h, 5, Tapit–Panty Raid, by Include. O/B-Godolphin (KY); T-Michael Stidham. $200,000.
3–Tyson, 126, c, 4, Tapit–Honouring, by Smart Strike. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($250,000 RNA Ylg '20 KEESEP). O/B-Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, Inc & Stretch Run Ventures, LLC (KY); T-Josie Carroll. $120,000.
Margins: NO, 2 1/4, NO. Odds: 3.75, 4.10, 5.50.
Also Ran: Clapton, Duke of Love, Rattle N Roll, Warrior Johny, Unbridled Bomber.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV .

The post Bright Future Follows In Dad’s Hoofprints In Jockey Club Gold Cup appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Ready to ‘Geaux’ for Labor Day Weekend

A trio of highly regarded sophomores will take on their elders in a fantastic renewal of Saturday's GI FanDuel Pacific Classic S. at Del Mar, a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.

The 5-2 morning-line favorite Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) leads the way for the 3-year-olds after defeating GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) by 1 3/4 lengths in Monmouth Park's GI TVG.com Haskell S. July 22. He will look to follow in the hoofprints of his leading sire Candy Ride, who won the Pacific Classic in 2003.

Hall of Fame trainer Richard Mandella has won the Pacific Classic four times–Beholder (2015), Pleasantly Perfect (2004), Gentlemen (Arg) (1997) and Dare and Go (1996).

“He had us dreaming pretty high and still does,” Mandella said of the Pin Oak Stud colorbearer.

Geaux Rocket Ride has drawn the rail for the second straight race. “Just happy to be there,” Mandella said.

The Bob Baffert-trained 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Knight (Uncle Mo) was the beaten favorite in the Haskell, finishing third while making his first start since capturing Oaklawn's GIII Southwest S. Jan. 28.

Skinner (Curlin), a strong third in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby Apr. 8, was forced to sit out the Kentucky Derby with an elevated temperature. He resurfaced with a useful second-place finish in the Los Alamitos Derby July 8.

The field of 11 also includes: 2021 Pacific Classic winner Tripoli (Kitten's Joy); this year's GI Santa Anita H. winner Stilleto Boy (Shackleford); and four runners out of the local prep GII San Diego H.–Senor Buscador (Mineshaft) (1st), Slow Down Andy (Nyquist) (2nd), Defunded (Dialed In) (4th) and Tripoli (fifth).

“It's an evenly matched, highly competitive field,” Tripoli's trainer John Sadler said. “You can make a case for a lot of different horses, so it should be a good race; nice mix of 3-year-olds and older horses.”

Del Mar's stacked 11-race program also includes: the 'Win and You're In' GII Del Mar H. (Longines Turf) and GIII Green Flash H. (Turf Sprint); the GII Del Mar Mile S., led by the streaking GI Shoemaker Mile S. winner Exaulted (Twirling Candy); and the GIII Torrey Pines S., highlighted by the return of GISW 'TDN Rising Star' Faiza (Girvin).

Jockey Club Gold Cup Day at the Spa…

A field of eight will line up for Saratoga's GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S., a 'Win and You're In' for the Classic.

Rattle N Roll (Connect), a winner of three straight graded races earlier this term, was freshened following a second-place finish in the GI Stephen Foster S. July 1. The 9-5 morning-line favorite has posted five straight triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures.

Despite a disappointing eighth-place finish in the Stephen Foster, Proxy (Tapit)'s 5-year-old campaign also includes wins in the GII Oaklawn H. Apr. 22 and GIII Monmouth Cup S. July 22 and a close second in the GI Santa Anita H. Mar. 4. The Godolphin homebred has drawn the rail in the 1 1/4-mile feature.

“We knew from early on that he had a lot of talent and that's why we were so ready to give him all the time he needed and let him mature mentally and physically to where he's at now and it's really paying off,” trainer Mike Stidham said.

McKulick (GB) (Frankel {GB}), winner of Saratoga's GII Glens Falls S. Aug. 3, headlines a field of four entered for the 'Win and You're In' GII Flower Bowl S.

Dazzling Blue (Into Mischief), second behind the ill-fated Maple Leaf Mel (Cross Traffic) in the GIII Victory Ride S. July 8, is the one to beat in the five-deep GII Prioress S.

Saturday's graded stakes action also includes a pair of deep fields for the GIII Big Ass Fans Music City S. and GIII Mint Millions S., both held at Kentucky Downs.

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