Tag: Zedan Racing Stable

Prince Of Monaco Speeds To Graded Win In Best Pal At Del Mar

In a battle of Bob Baffert-trained TDN Rising Stars, second choice Prince of Monaco (Speightstown) got the better of his more fancied stablemate, 1-2 choice Muth (Good Magic), to take Sunday's GIII Best Pal S. at Del Mar. The victory represented the 10th Best Pal score for the Hall of Famer.

Prince of Monaco, a $950,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling purchase, was content to linger near the back early as first Tranche (Collected) and then Muth led through opening fractions of :21.76 and :44.76. Closing strongly on the front rank passing the three-eighths pole, the 9-5 chance caught his stablemate–who had finally dispatched of the pesky Tranche–straightening for home. With Muth making a race out of it briefly, Prince of Monaco drew clear to score by a geared-down 4 1/4-length winner. Raging Torrent crossed the wire a clear third.

Baffert explained, “[Prat] rode [Baffert-trained Elegant, who tired to finish fifth in race 3 after showing speed) really fast and I said, 'That's okay, just don't do that on this one.'

“We knew [Tranche] was really quick and I was hoping Muth would lay off the pace but he just engaged early. [Flavien] Prat saw what was going on and he took back. I like the way the horse responded and [Prince of Monaco] had a good post for it. You put good riders on good horses, but it was really key that [Prat] rode that filly for me in the third race.”

Prat added, “[Bob Baffert] called me and asked me to come out and ride a horse for him and so here I am,” said Prat. “He was very comfortable out there; felt good all the way. I saw the pace was hot and I just waited my turn. He's a nice colt. And yes, I think he can run farther.”

Prince of Monaco, who kicked off his career at Los Alamitos July 9, was a beat slow at the start but that didn't stop him from rolling home a front-running eight-length winner, earning TDN Rising stardom in the process. Since that eye-catching unveiling, the dark bay has been showing plenty of zip in the morning, culminating with a sharp five-furlong work in :59 2/5 (6/74) at Del Mar Aug. 5.

Pedigree Notes:
Prince of Monaco becomes the 138th black-type winner and 65th graded winner for sire Speightstown. Out of unraced Rainier, the Mar. 26 foal is a grandson of MSW Clay's Rocket (American Chance), a half-sister to GI Frizette winner Adieu (El Corredor). His 7-year-old dam is also responsible for a Munnings filly from last year followed by a Constitution filly this term. She was bred back to Speightstown.

 

Sunday, Del Mar
BEST PAL S.-GIII, $200,000, Del Mar, 8-13, 2yo, 6f, 1:09.19, ft.
1–PRINCE OF MONACO, 118, c, 2, by Speightstown
       1st Dam: Rainier, by Medaglia d'Oro
       2nd Dam: Clay's Rocket, by American Chance
       3rd Dam: Irene's Talkin, by At the Threshold
'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES
WIN. ($950,000 Ylg '22 FTSAUG). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight
Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Dianne
Bashor, Robert E. Masterson, Waves Edge Capital LLC,
Catherine Donovan and Tom Ryan; B-Stonestreet
Thoroughbred Holdings LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-Flavien Prat.
$120,000. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $147,000. Werk Nick
Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Muth, 120, c, 2, Good Magic–Hoppa, by Uncle Mo.
'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($190,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $2,000,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR).
O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Don Alberto Corporation (KY);
T-Bob Baffert. $40,000.
3–Raging Torrent, 120, c, 2, Maximus Mischief–Violent Wave,
by Violence. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($27,000 RNA Ylg '22 KEESEP; $75,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR).
O-Great Friends Stables, LLC and Mark Davis; B-Rodney J.
Winkler & Alfonso Mazzetti (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill. $24,000.
Margins: 4 1/4, 4HF, 15 1/4. Odds: 1.80, 0.50, 8.20.
Also Ran: Tranche, Who Is Pavel.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

 

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Arabian Lion Gives Justify a First Grade I Winner in Woody Stephens

ELMONT, NY – Five years ago, Justify became the 13th winner of the Triple Crown with a gate-to-wire victory in the GI Belmont S.

The Ashford Stud-based stallion, quite fittingly, celebrated his first Grade I winner as a sire on the Belmont undercard courtesy of 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Lion (Justify)'s good-looking 1 3/4-length victory as the 2-1 favorite over Drew's Gold (Violence) in Saturday's GI Woody Stephens S. Gilmore (Twirling Candy) was third.

The win marked a triumphant return to the Big Apple for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, who was suspended from competition for one year from NYRA tracks stemming from his well-documented medical violation of disqualified 2021 GI Kentucky Derby winner Medina Spirit. The ban ended in January. Baffert hadn't started a runner in New York since Rockefeller (Medaglia d'Oro) finished 10th in the 2022 GIII Gotham S. at Aqueduct.

“He's just a smaller version of Justify and to have a horse by Justify–one of the greatest horses I've ever trained–and to bring him to New York and win a Grade I, that's what we're all in the game for,” Baffert said.

“I'm just going to enjoy this Grade I victory. It's great to be back here. Nothing like winning in New York. It means so much to the horse and the connections and I feel great about it.”

Drawn on the inside in post two in the 10-horse field, the Zedan Racing Stable colorbearer sat the trip from fourth, drafting in behind the two-for-two Federal Judge (Army Mule), who faced pressure to his outside from the well-backed Drew's Gold. The unbeaten Gold Fever S. winner made his move on the outside turning for home and was moving well, but Arabian Lion had other ideas. Arabian Lion was tipped out leaving the quarter pole and took flight in the stretch with good-looking strides to roar home for a career high.

An impressive debut winner at Santa Anita last October, Arabian Lion didn't fare well in his first two tries versus stakes company going two turns, finishing last of five as the heavy favorite in the GII Los Alamitos Futurity Dec. 17 and fourth in the GIII Robert B. Lewis S. Feb. 4. He bounced back with a huge second behind sidelined 'TDN Rising Star' First Mission (Street Sense) in the GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. at Keeneland Apr. 15, then put on a show on the GI Preakness S. undercard with a powerful front-running victory in the Sir Barton S.

“This horse, I've always been so high on, he's just been slow to come around,” Baffert said. “Amr Zedan, he let me be patient with him and now we're getting rewarded with he way he ran.”

He continued, “The Lexington S. was a headscratcher. It looked like he was going to win and I think he saw something in the crowd and quit running and then he got beat. His race at Pimlico was amazing. I flew him back to California and I said, 'I probably won't bring him back,' but he was doing so well, I could tell.”

Baffert added that Arabian Lion could target the $1-million GI Haskell on July 22 at Monmouth Park.

Pedigree Notes:

Arabian Lion, a $600,000 OBS April breezer (:10) from the first crop of Justify, becomes the seventh graded winner for his young sire. Arabian Lion's third dam is the legendary runner and producer Personal Ensign. Arabian Lion's dam Unbound began her career in Japan before being imported by SF Bloodstock and running second in a sprint stakes at Belmont. She was later sold for $310,000 to F. T. I at Keeneland November in 2015 in foal to Tiznow. After failing to produce a foal in the next two seasons following Arabian Lion, Unbound produced a filly by Frosted this year. Unbound's stakes-placed full-sister Mary Rita is responsible for recent GII Penn Mile S. winner Major Dude (Bolt d'Oro).

Saturday, Belmont Park
WOODY STEPHENS S. PRESENTED BY MOHEGAN SUN-GI,
$400,000, Belmont, 6-10, 3yo, 7f, 1:21.70, ft.
1–ARABIAN LION, 122, c, 3, by Justify
                1st Dam: Unbound (SP, $359,826), by Distorted Humor
                2nd Dam: Possibility, by A.P. Indy
                3rd Dam: Personal Ensign, by Private Account
1ST GRADED STAKES WIN, 1ST GRADE I WIN. ($600,000 2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Bonne Chance Farm LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-John R. Velazquez. $220,000. Lifetime Record: 7-3-2-0, $437,600. Werk Nick Rating: C. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Drew's Gold, 122, r, 3, Violence–Frolic's Revenge, by Vindication. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE, 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($25,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-James K. Chapman and Stuart Tsujimoto; B-Woodford Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY); T-James K. Chapman. $80,000.
3–Gilmore, 118, c, 3, Twirling Candy–My Surfer Girl, by Henny Hughes. 1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($48,000 Wlg '20 KEENOV; $250,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E. Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay A. Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Catherine Donovan; B-Dividing Ridge Farm (KY); T-Brendan P. Walsh. $48,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, 3/4, 7 1/4. Odds: 2.35, 3.80, 7.20.
Also Ran: Federal Judge, Gun Pilot, General Jim, Victory Formation, Fort Warren, Dark Vector, Arman.
Scratched: Fort Bragg, Harrodsburg, New York Thunder.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs.
VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

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Baffert Runners Draw Inside And Out For Saudi Cup

A field of 13 was drawn Wednesday evening in Riyadh for the $20-million G1 Saudi Cup, to be contested over 1800 meters under the lights Saturday at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in the Saudi capital.

Commonwealth Thoroughbreds, WinStar Farm and Zedan Racing's Country Grammer (Tonalist) is back for another tour of the Middle East, having missed by a half-length in this event 12 months ago before landing the G1 Dubai World Cup some 600 miles to the east in Dubai. In stark contrast to 2022, the 6-year-old, who will carry the Zedan colors, enters the Saudi Cup with a tightener under his belt, as he proved a convincing winner of the GII San Antonio S. at Santa Anita Dec. 26 when reunited with World Cup-winning rider Frankie Dettori. The retiring Italian will be back in the saddle from stall 10 Saturday.

Trainer Bob Baffert's second runner is Zedan's wholly owned 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner), who will be ridden from gate two by Mike Smith, just to the outside of Japanese speedball Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) and inside of last year's G2 UAE Derby hero Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn}), who will once again have the services of Australia's Damian Lane. Taiba also last raced Dec. 26, streaking clear late to prove a much-the-best winner of the GI Runhappy Malibu S. He returns to the nine-furlong trip over which he scored in last year's GI Santa Anita Derby and GI Pennsylvania Derby.

The two commonly owned sons of Quality Road were the last two to be allotted their barriers, as the very progressive Scotland Yard drew the four, while defending champion Emblem Road was left with gate eight. Both enter the Cup on the heels of victories, and in the case of Emblem Road, a good-looking success in his first appearance since finishing well-beaten in his turf debut in the G3 Grand Prix de Vichy in July.

Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah) passed on a three-peat attempt in the G1 February S. over the weekend in favor of the Saudi Cup and will break from the widest alley in 13 with Joao Moreira at the controls.

The Saudi Cup-G1, $20,000,000, 4yo/up, 1800m (in post position order)

1–Panthalassa (Jpn) (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn})

2–Taiba (Gun Runner)

3–Crown Pride (Jpn) (Reach the Crown {Jpn})

4–Scotland Yard (Quality Road)

5–Sunset Flash (Ire) (Mayson {GB}) (f)

6–Jun Light Bolt (Jpn) (King Kamehameha {Jpn})

7–Remorse (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire})

8–Emblem Road (Quality Road)

9–Vin de Garde (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn})

10–Country Grammer (Tonalist)

11-Lagertha Rhyme (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}) (f)

12–Geoglyph (Jpn) (Drefong)

13–Cafe Pharoah (American Pharoah)

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‘Improving’ Taiba Races Away In Pennsylvania Derby

If the GI Kentucky Derby all came a bit too soon for 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (c, 3, Gun Runner–Needmore Flattery, by Flatter), Saturday's GI betPARX Pennsylvania Derby showed that he is close to–or is already–the finished project, enjoying the run of the race in before shooting clear in the stretch to defeat Kentucky Derby third Zandon (Upstart) by three solid lengths. Cyberknife (Gun Runner), who got the better trip and the better of a final-furlong tussle with Taiba in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. earlier this summer, outfinished Simplification (Not This Time) for third.

“Gun Runner is an unbelievable sire and this guy looks more like Gun Runner than a lot of them,” said trainer Bob Baffert, winning his fourth Pennsylvania Derrby. “I was just so excited watching it. I was not loving it on the backside, but once he tipped out it was like, 'Wow! Look at this guy!' We have such a great team and to get rewarded with a win like this makes it all worth it. Fantastic.”

Ridden for speed by Mike Smith, in the irons for the Derby victories of the Baffert-trained West Coast (Flatter) in 2017 and McKinzie (Street Sense) the following year, Taiba dueled early on with White Abarrio (Race Day) through an opening quarter in :23.27, but when it was clear that the latter was going to make the lead at all costs, the chestnut was eased back into a ground-saving fourth from close up. Simplification and 'Rising Star' We The People (Constitution) added some fuel to the pace fire, but Taiba continued to travel well behind the first flight of runners while being asked a bit rounding the far turn.

Angled out sharply around Simplification in upper stretch, Taiba hit the front outside the eighth pole and was punched out mostly hands and heels to hit the line a clear-cut winner. Zandon sat an inside trip beneath Joel Rosario and made steady progress up the inside, but could not reach the winner. Cyberknife looked to exchange bumps with We The People while launching his own bid and was up in the final jump for third.

While GI Runhappy Travers S. winner Epicenter (Not This Time) is the head of the 3-year-old class, Baffert was subtly making the case for Taiba post-race. The colt does hold the distinction of being one of two members of the group to have won multiple Grade Is going long this season. Jack Christopher is a two-time winner at the top-level around one turn.

“You want to be the best 3-year-old,” the conditioner said. “This was the spot that puts him right there. He is just a tough horse. He is powerful. He is a heavily muscled horse and you would not think he would run this far. He has speed but he will sit behind horses. He comes running and he is just a fighter.”

A $170,000 purchase out of the 2020 Fasig-Tipton October Sale, Taiba was the second-priciest offering at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale on Gary Young's bid of $1.7-million on behalf of Amr Zedan. The chestnut was named a no-brainer 'Rising Star' following a 7 1/2-length debut victory for Baffert over six furlongs at Santa Anita Mar. 5, but was turned over to Tim Yakteen and he did what not even Justify could do–win the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby off just a maiden victory Apr. 9. Bet to under 6-1 despite his inexperience entering the May 7 GI Kentucky Derby, Taiba never truly reached contention and tired to finish 12th. Connections were content to allow the rest of the Triple Crown to pass them by and, with Baffert off his suspension, he was routed for the Haskell. Consigned to a wide run into the stretch, he came to win the race a furlong out, but was outfinished at the fence by Cyberknife, denying Baffert a 10th win in the race.

From here, Taiba is likely to chart a course that lands at Keeneland on the first Saturday in November.

“If all is good, we are going to point to the Breeders' Cup Classic. You know, horse racing changes day by day. I'm not looking forward to running against Life Is Good (Into Mischief) and Flightline (Tapit). Those are two very fast horses.”

Bayern (Offlee Wild) used the Pennsylvania Derby as a springboard to his much-ballyhooed success in the 2014 Classic.

Pedigree Notes:

Taiba is the lone foal to race out of Needmore Flattery, a mare that would have made E. F. Hutton proud. The Ohio-bred did it the hard way in her career, making 39 trips to the races from ages two to five for owner and Taiba breeder Bruce Ryan, resulting in 17 visits to the winner's circle, nine of those in state-bred stakes races, for earnings north of $732,000.

After producing a colt by Uncle Mo for her first foal, one that Ryan elected to buy back for $112,000 at FTKNOV in 2019, the breeder cashed out, selling Neeedmore Flattery to Leopoldo Fernandez Pujals's Yeguada Centurion for $195,000 back in foal to Uncle Mo at KEENOV the following month. The mare was sent to France, foaled a filly in Ireland, and that produce–now named Tita Mimosa (Ire)–is in training and worked a half-mile in :48.60 (8/75) at Monmouth Park Sept. 18. Needmore Flattery's last listed produce is a French-bred yearling colt by G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner Waldgeist (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) that is catalogued as hip 51 to next month's Arqana October Yearling Sale.

Saturday, Parx Racing
PENNSYLVANIA DERBY-GI, $1,000,000, Parx Racing, 9-24, 3yo, 1 1/8m, 1:48.67, ft.
1–TAIBA, 126, c, 3, by Gun Runner

    1st Dam: Needmore Flattery (MSW, $732,103), by Flatter
    2nd Dam: Kiosk, by Left Banker
    3rd Dam: Phone Switch, by Phone Trick
($140,000 Ylg '20 FTKOCT; $1,700,000 2yo '21 FTFMAR).
O-Zedan Racing Stables, Inc.; B-Bruce C Ryan (KY); T-Bob
Baffert; J-Mike E. Smith. $546,000. 'TDN Rising Star'
Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0, $1,236,200.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Zandon, 126, c, 3, Upstart–Memories Prevail, by Creative
Cause. ($170,000 Ylg '20 KEESEP). O-Jeff Drown; B-Brereton
Jones (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $182,000.
3–Cyberknife, 126, c, 3, Gun Runner–Awesome Flower, by
Flower Alley. ($400,000 Ylg '20 FTKSEL). O-Gold Square LLC;
B-Kenneth L. Ramsey & Sarah K. Ramsey (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.
$91,000.
Margins: 3, 3 3/4, HD. Odds: 1.40, 3.30, 4.10.
Also Ran: Simplification, White Abarrio, B Dawk, Naval Aviator, We the People, Skippylongstocking, Tawny Port, Icy Storm.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

 

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