Thoroughbred Racing Roundup – August 1, 2011
August 2nd, 2011By ROBERT KIECKHEFER
UPI Racing Writer
Haskell (G1) winner Coil adds his name to the list of prominent sophomres fighting for year-end honors.BENOIT PHOTO
And so it goes with this year’s 3-year-old Thoroughbreds: Five big races, five different winners.
Coil, a late-blooming son of Point Given, shipped across the country to win Sunday’s $1 million, Grade I Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park, defeating Preakness winner Shackleford and Belmont winner Ruler on Ice, who finished second and third.
It was Stay Thirsty dominating Saturday’s $500,000, Grade II Jim Dandy at Saratoga. Stay Thirsty had finished second to Ruler on Ice in the Belmont.
Meanwhile, Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom is out for the year with an injury. And last year’s juvenile champ, Uncle Mo, is finally back in training after an illness that knocked him out of the Triple Crown races.
Many, if not most, of those 3-year-olds are likely to hook up in the “Midsummer Derby” – the Travers at Saratoga. Survivors from that showdown likely would move along to the Breeders’ Cup Classic in November at Churchill Downs.
Here’s how things went in the weekend battles:
Classic
Coil, normally a speed horse, missed the start in Sunday’s Haskell and hit the first turn last of eight. That may not have been all bad as trainer Bob Baffert had taken the blinkers off the colt in an effort to moderate his speed. Jockey Martin Garcia let Coil find his stride down the backstretch, got outside on the turn engaged Shackleford for the lead in the stretch. Shackleford hung tough but couldn’t last and Coil won by a neck. Ruler On Ice was 2 1/4 length farther back in third. Coil finished the 9 furlongs on a fast track in 1:48.20. Coil’s sire, Point Given, won the Preakness, the Belmont, the Haskell and the Travers in 2001. Baffert, who picked up his fifth Haskell trophy, said his heart sank when Coil came out of the gate at the back of the field.
“He didn’t break well, and at that point I thought the race was over,” Baffert said. “Down the backstretch, I thought he was going to have to be like his dad, Point Given, to win. In the stretch, when he was passing Shackleford, it was almost like I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.”
Stay Thirsty emerged from the shadow of stablemate Uncle Mo with an off-the-pace, stretch-running win in the Jim Dandy. Stay Thirsty burst onto the national scene during the 2010 Saratoga meeting, winning an August maiden race by 5 1/2 lengths, then finishing second to Boys At Tosconova in the Grade 1 Hopeful. However, he finished fifth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile and 12th in the Kentucky Derby before rallying to finish second in the Belmont Stakes. Saturday, the Kentucky-bred Bernardini colt came out for running room entering the stretch and ran by the leaders, finishing 9 furlongs on a fast track in 1:48.78 for jockey Javier Castellano. Moonshine Man ran second as the longest shot on the tote board and Dominus finished third.
“It was a breakthrough effort for Stay Thirsty,” said winning trainer Todd Pletcher, who is working Uncle Mo back to shape in hopes of a return during the Spa meeting. “We always felt as if he had a performance like this in him … I think he has established himself as one of the leaders in the division.”
Tres Borrachos rallied three-wide into the lane in Saturday’s $200,000, Grade II San Diego Handicap and was up in time to post the upset by 1 1/4 lengths over the favorite, Kevlar Kid. Spurrier finished third. Tres Borrachos, a 6-year-old, Kentucky-bred Ecton Park gelding, ran the 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather track in 1:42.71 with Rafael Bejarano in the irons. He was running for the first time for new owner George Hickler and trainer Marty Jones. Jones noted Tres Borrachos finished second in the 2009 Hollywood Gold Cup “so class wasn’t something we were concerned about.” Asked about the Grade I Pacific Classic, Jones said, “We’ve definitely got to look at it, the way he ran today.”
Other races with potential impact on the Breeders’ Cup World Championships and other year-end races:
Ladies Classic
Ask the Moon got the jump on a half dozen rivals in Sunday’s $250,000, Grade I Ruffian Invitational at Saratoga and when the trailers tried to close the gap at the top of the stretch, the longshot leader was having none of it. With Javier Castellano rationing her speed, Ask the Moon had plenty left and won off by 5 3/4 lengths. Super Espresso rallied for second. Tis Miz Sue finished third but was disqualified to fourth, promoting the favorite, Payton d’Oro to show money. Ask the Moon, a 6-year-old, Maryland-bred Malibu Moon mare, ran 9 furlongs on a fast track in 1:50.46. The win came just six weeks after she was claimed for $75,000 by Farnsworth Stable and provided Ask the Moon a guaranteed berth in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic.
“She’s a beautiful mare, that’s why I claimed her,” said winning trainer Marty Wolfson by telephone from Monmouth Park. He said he will bring Ask the Moon back in the Grade I Personal Ensign on Aug. 28.
Quiet Giant took command in the stretch run of Sunday’s $100,000 Lady’s Secret Stakes for fillies and mares, winning off by 6 3/4 lengths over Lacie Slew. Debonaire Darling finished third. Quiet Giant, a 4-year-old, Virginia-bred Giant’s Causeway filly, ran the 1 1/16 miles on a fast main track in 1:41.54 for jockey Julien Leparoux.
Turf Mile
The European mile division looked like a tough one going into the season and events are proving that analysis right. And the main reason is not three-time defending Breeders’ Cup champion mare Goldikova, or even Canford Cliffs, who defeated Goldikova at Ascot. Rather, it’s 3-year-old sensation Frankel – a Juddmonte Farms Galileo colt named for the late American trainer Bobby Frankel and now undefeated in eight starts after thrashing Canford Cliffs on the square in Wednesday’s Group 1 Sussex Stakes at Goodwood. It was virtually a match race, with only four starters and two real contenders, and that worked to Frankel’s advantage. With Tom Queally up, Frankel took the lead and set a modest pace. Canford Cliffs, under Richard Hughes, would rather have stalked a more sharply contested early going but was forced to tag along with the leader. Coming out of the single bend, Frankel quickened easily and scooted home with only minor encouragement. Canford Cliffs finished 5 lengths back while Frankel stopped the timer in 1:37.57. Rio De La Plata and Rajsaman completed the order of finish. It was Frankel’s first try against older horses.
“He’s the best I’ve ever seen,” said winning trainer, Sir Henry Cecil, who has seen more than a few. “I think he’ll get a mile and a quarter and whether he has one more run or two we’ll have to see. He is in the Juddmonte International at York (on Aug. 17) and he’s 50/50 to go there and all being well he’ll go to Ascot at the end of the year for either the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (at 1 mile) or Champion Stakes (1 1/4 miles). We’ll see what the Prince (Khalid Abdulla) wants to do. It’s his horse. I just train him.”
Meanwhile, Goldikova continued on her merry way with a geared-down victory in Sunday’s Group 1 Prix Rothschild at Deauville on the French seaside. It was her fourth straight win in that race – a feat that trainer Freddy Head hopes to duplicate in November’s Breeders’ Cup Mile at Churchill Downs. With Olivier Peslier up, Goldikova ran behind stablemate Flash Dance until the final quarter mile of Sunday’s race, then kicked quickly into gear and was allowed to coast home a winner by a short neck over Sahpresa. Timepiece was third. Goldikova finished the 1 mile on good going in 1:34.30. The win put the 6-year-old Anabaa mare back on the right path after a loss to Canford Cliffs in the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot on June 14.
Back in the States, Yummy With Butter wore down pacesetting Sayif late in Sunday’s $200,000, Grade III Oceanport Stakes at Monmouth Park and edged clear to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Baryshnikov was third and Workin For Hops finished fourth. Yummy With Butter, a 7-year-old, Ontario-bred Silvador gelding, ran the 1 1/16 miles on firm going in 1:50.98 with Paco Lopez aboard. “He was training like a Grade I horse,” said winning trainer Yvon Belsour, despite the fact Yummy With Butter hadn’t won since 2009. “And this was a Grade III race, so I was pretty confident.” Belsour said the winner will point to the Grade III Cliffhanger Sept. 4.
Sidney’s Candy led from the start in Sunday’s $150,000, Grade II Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga, cruised through soft fractions and got home first by 1 1/4 lengths over Moryba. Beau Choix was third. Sidney’s Candy, a 4-year-old, Kentucky-bred Candy Ride colt, finished the 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:43.25 with John Velazquez up. Sidney’s Candy was recently acquired by Win Star Farms and moved from California to Todd Pletcher’s barn. Pletcher said he will consider the 7-furlong Forego or the 1 1/8-mile Woodward – both on Sept. 3 at the Spa. “It’s pretty rare that you have a horse that does everything as well as he does that’s very, very good on three different surfaces,” the trainer added.
Filly & Mare Turf
Midday made a little piece of history Saturday at Goodwood in England, winning the Group 1 Nassau Stakes for the third straight year. With Tom Queally up for trainer Sir Henry Cecil, Midday settled in third through the early furlongs, letting Barefoot Lady make the early going. The 5-year-old Oasis Dream mare moved into a challenging position with 3 furlongs to run, got the lead with a quarter mile to go and easily held off an improving Snow Fairy to win by 2 lengths. Principal Role came home third, 1 1/4 lengths farther back. Crystal Capella, Barefoot Lady and Field Day completed the order of finish. Misty For Me was scratched. The almost 10-furlong event was clocked in 2:07.72.
“If Midday is well, then we will think about going to the Yorkshire Oaks and we will feel our way from there,” Sir Henry said. “All options are open including the Irish Champion Stakes and the Breeders’ Cup again. The races are there for her and we will just feel our way and see how we go. She will tell me and I won’t tell her. You don’t tell women what to do.”
Midday won the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf at Santa Anita and finished second to upsetter Shared Account last year at Churchill Downs.
Zagora worked her way through about half of the field in Saturday’s $500,000, Grade I Diana Handicap at Saratoga, got to the front with a furlong to run and held off Aruna late to score by 1 1/2 lengths. Bay to Bay finished third, a neck farther back, and the favorite, Unbridled Humor, faded from the lead to get home seventh. Zagora, a 4-year-old, French-bred filly by Green Tune, ran the 9 furlongs on good turf in 1:49.19 with Javier Castellano up. Zagora entered the race off four second- or third-place finishes in graded stakes since being shipped to the United States from France, where she was a Group 3 winner. She entered the Diana off a head defeat in the Grade 2 New York at Belmont Park on June 25.
“She was running with very good horses in Europe,” said winning trainer Chad Brown. “So it was just a matter of time for her to fully acclimate over here, maybe get lucky with a trip, find the ground she liked. Everything came together today.”
Romacaca stalked a pacesetting longshot in Sunday’s $200,000, Grade III Taylor Made Matchmaker Stakes at Monmouth Park, took charge when asked by jockey E.T. Baird and won by 1 1/4 lengths over Ravi’s Song. Perfect Shirl finished third and the favorite, C.S. Silk, never fired and was eased at the end. Romacaca, a 5-year-old, Florida-bred Running Stag mare, finished the 1 1/8 miles on firm turf in 1:46.54. It was her fifth straight win, including the Miss Liberty Stakes at Monmouth in her previous start.
“She’s a super nice filly to have,” said winning trainer Nick Canani. “She raced great.”
Winter Memories – an ironic name for this mid-summer in Upstate New York – rallied from last to win Wednesday’s $150,000, Grade II Lake George Stakes for 3-year-old fillies by 4 1/2 lengths over Bellamy Star. More Than Real finished third. Winter Memories, a Kentucky-bred El Prado filly, ran the 1 1/16 miles on the “good” inner turf in 1:41.57 with Jose Lezcano up. Her dam, Memories of Silver, won the same race 15 years earlier. Winner trainer Jimmy Toner said the Lake Placid, a Grade II on Aug. 21 at the Spa, will “be our schedule. Our main goal has always been the Queen Elizabeth (at Keeneland). Her mother won the Queen Elizabeth and we’re hoping to do the same thing.”
Danedream won the Grosser Preis von Berlin in Germany on July 24 by 5 lengths, defeating older horses and males and making a case for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf this fall. Danedream, a 3-year-old daughter of Lomitas, was rated in the middle of the field through much of the race, came to the lead late in the stretch run and drew off under jockey Andreas Starke. She finished 2,400 meters on “good” turf in 2:33.50. The favorite, Scalo, finished second with a late run. Winning trainer Peter Schiergen said Danedream is entered for the Breeders’ Cup and that is the end-of-year target for the filly.
Sprint
Euroears not only bounced back successfully from his Dubai trip in Sunday’s $250,000, Grade I Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar – he did it in track-record time. With Rafael Bejarano up, the 7-year-old, Kentucky-bred Langfuhr horse went quickly to the front, blazed away and wasn’t challenged. At the line he was 1 1/4 lengths better than Smiling Tiger. Amazombie finished third. Euroears got the 6 furlongs in 1:08.17, beating the old record of 1:08.29 set by Cost of Freedom three years ago.
“That’s his style and he ran a huge race today,” said Baffert assistant Mike Marlow. Marlow said Euroears had time to recover from his second-place finish in the Dubai Golden Shaheen on March 26 “and he runs well fresh. This track today wasn’t favoring that kind of performance. But it didn’t look like he was extended that much even at the wire.” Marlow said the Bing Crosby later in the meet is the likely next race for Euroears.
Marathon
Bourbon Bay saved ground into the stretch turn in Friday’s $125,000, Grade III Cougar II Handicap at Del Mar, split horses and drew off late to win by 2 3/4 lengths. Dahoud led the way in the 1 1/2-mile event and held second, 1 1/2 lengths better than the favorite, Setsuko. Bourbon Bay, a 5-year-old, Kentucky-bred Sligo Bay gelding, finished in track-record time of 2:29.39 with Joe Talamo on the reins. Winning trainer Neil Drysdale said Bourbon Bay had some “difficult trips” when finishing 11th in the Sheema Classic in Dubai on March 26 and the July 2 United Nations at Monmouth, when he was fourth. “So we just wanted to get his confidence back and felt that this would be a really nice race to get his confidence back up.” Although the race is a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Marathon, Drysdale said that race is less than likely. “He’s more of a turf horse,” the conditioner said.
