Thoroughbred Racing Roundup – August 8, 2011
August 8th, 2011By ROBERT KIECKHEFER
UPI Racing Writer
Welcome to “The Spa!”To hear trainer James Bond tell it, the muddled handicap division suddenly is clear and his horse, Tizway, is on the road to winning the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
After all, Tizway’s sire, Tiznow, won the Classic twice. And after cruising to victory in Saturday’s $750,000, Grade I Whitney Handicap at Saratoga, there’s no reason the son can’t be like the sire.
Tizway sat just off the early pace set by Friend Or Foe in a race rated to be wide open. But when the running started in the stretch, it was Tizway who opened up and drew clear to win by 3 lengths. Flat Out came along late to be second, 3 1/2 lengths ahead of Giant Oak.
With Rajiv Maragh up, the 5-year-old Kentucky-bred got the 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.43 over a fast track.
“He’s the best miler in the country and he is the best older horse in the country,” Bond said after the Whitney. “I’m as confident going 1 1/4 miles as I was going 1 1/8 miles coming here today. I think it was a pretty strong training effort.”
Asked about going on to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which Tiznow won in 2000 and 2001, Bond said, “You know it. He will run in the Jockey Club Gold Cup (on Oct. 1 at Belmont Park) and then in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.”
Of course, it won’t be that easy. Tizway so far has enjoyed his greatest success at 1-mile races. In last year’s 1 1/4-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup, he faded to finish third over a sloppy track, albeit over a sloppy surface. And while Saturday’s field was accomplished, there are many others lurking in the weeds waiting for a chance at the $5 million Classic purse.
In the other weekend race that could impact the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Prayer for Relief stalked the pace in Saturday night’s $750,000 West Virginia Derby at Mountaineer, came out for running room in the stretch and got by pacesetter Rush Now in the final yards to win by 1/2 length. Sheriff Cogburn finished third.
Prayer for Relief, a Kentucky-bred Jump Start colt, ran the 9 furlongs on a fast track in 1:50.68 with Rafael Bejarano up for trainer Bob Baffert. He now has won three straight races since undergoing minor surgery on an ankle.
Baffert, from Saratoga, said it’s possible Prayer for Relief could join another of his stable stars, Haskell winner Coil, in the Travers Stakes at Saratoga. But, he added, “I’ll have to wait and see how he comes out of the Mountaineer race and see how he trains at Saratoga before we make any decisions on the Travers.”
Other races with potential implications for the Breeders’ Cup World Championships at Churchill Downs Nov. 4 and 5:
Ladies Classic
Ultra Blend rallied by all four opponents in the late going of Saturday’s $300,000, Grade I Clement L. Hirsch Stakes at Del Mar, winning by a neck over Zazu. The odds-on favorite, Switch, pressed the pace but then settled for third. St Trinians and Freedom Star completed the order of finish. Ultra Blend, a 5-year-old, California-bred Richly Blended mare, ran 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather track in 1:42.28 with Tyler Baze handling the reins. He was her 11th win from 23 starts. In her last outing, the Grade II A Gleam Handicap at Hollywood Park on July 16, she lost by a nose to Irish Gypsy.
“I had to go home and have two martinis after that photo,” said winning trainer Art Sherman. “She’s just one of those, game, tryin’ fillies. She doesn’t get a lot of respect being a Cal-bred running against open company. But she should get some Cal-bred awards this year, don’t you think?
Sprint
Sean Avery set a hot pace in Sunday’s $250,000, Grade I Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap at Saratoga and the odds-on favorite, Trappe Shot, couldn’t quite catch him. At the wire, it was Sean Avery by a nose with Calibrachoa another 1 3/4 lengths back in third. Sean Avery, a 5-year-old, Kentucky-bred Cherokee Run gelding, got the 6 furlongs on a “good” main track in 1:09.71 after a half mile in 44.56 seconds. It was the fourth win in five starts this year for Sean Avery, who had been out for 15 months after a 2009 injury.
“He kind of relaxed out there and he was all by himself,” said winning rider Joe Bravo. “Really, honestly, I thought Trappe Shot beat us. I really did. At the wire he had the nose, but Sean knew he was there and stuck his head out and didn’t want to let him get by. He tries so hard.”
Filly & Mare Sprint
Turbulent Descent ran to her notices in Saturday’s $250,000, Grade I Test Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga. After stalking the pace under David Flores, the Congrats filly rallied four-wide into the stretch, got to front with 3/16ths to go and worked clear to win by 3 3/4 lengths under a hand ride. Pomeroy’s Pistol finished second and the early leader, Roman Treasure, held third. Turbulent Descent ran the 7 furlongs on a fast track in 1:24.17.
“She’ll take on any horse out there at this distance,” said winning trainer Mike Puype. “She’s in deceleration at the finish. Huge. It puts her right to the top of the division. She’s the favorite to win the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.” But Puype said he hasn’t laid plans yet for Turbulent Descent’s next race.
On Sunday, Tar Heel Mom led all the way to a 5 3/4-lengths romp in the $150,000, Grade II Honorable Miss Handicap at Saratoga. Beat the Blues beat the rest of them with Champagne d’Oro third. Tar Heel Mom, a 6-year-old, Kentucky-bred Flatter mare, covered the 6 furlongs on a “good” track in 1:10.42 with Alex Solis up. Trainer Stanley Hough Hough said he has not decided whether to run Tar Heel Mom back in the Grade 1, 7-furlong Ballerina on Travers Day, Aug. 27.
“I’d kind of like to keep her at three-quarters if I could. But we’ll have to see,” Hough said. “Maybe. I just wanted to get by this one and see.”
Sprint
Caleb’s Posse swept around most of the field turning for home in Monday’s $150,000, Grade II Amsterdam Stakes for 3-year-olds at Saratoga and quickly got clear to win by 4 lengths. Redeemed and Wine Police completed the trifecta. Caleb’s Posse, a Posse colt, got the 6 1/2 furlongs on a fast track in 1:15.88 with Rajiv Maragh in the irons. The winner was the longest shot on the mutuel board as he was turning back after several route trips.
“If you looked at his races last year, he was a capable sprinter that we were stretching out because of the opportunities the 3-year-olds have through the spring,” said winning trainer Donnie Von Hemel. “It turned out that maybe we should have been sprinting before now.”
Juvenile
Creative Cause got a bit of a slow break in Sunday’s $150,000, Grade II Best Pal Stakes at Del Mar, saved ground until the turn, moved up and out entering the stretch and went on to win by 1 3/4 lengths over pacesetter I’ll Have Another. Mighty Monsoon finished third. Creative Cause, a Kentucky-bred Giant’s Causeway colt out of the Siberian Summer mare Dream of Summer, ran the 6 1/2 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:15.62 with Rafael Bejarano in the irons. Creative Cause posted a 98 Beyer Speed Figure in his maiden win but trainer Mike Harrington said, “He had a lot of background before I ran him the first time, so I wasn’t worried about him bouncing … If all goes well, we’ll run him in the (Del Mar) Futurity. It’s a ‘Win and You’re In’ race (for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile), so why wouldn’t you run him in it?”
Juvenile Fillies
Mighty Caroline tracked pacesetting River Kiss through the early furlongs of Friday’s $150,000, Grade III Sorrento Stakes at Del Mar, went by with a furlong to go and won by 1 1/4 lengths. River Kiss held second, a head in front of Heleonor Rugby. The favorite, Killer Graces, finished sixth. Mighty Caroline, a Kentucky-bred Stormy Atlantic filly out of the Maria’s Mon mare Mighty Renee, ran 6 1/2 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:16.75 under Joel Rosario. Mighty Caroline suffered a narrow loss to Killer Grades in last month’s Landaluce Stakes at Hollywood Park and now has two wins from three starts.
Winning trainer Melody Conlon said the Del Mar Debutante is “the goal. But we’ll see how it goes from here … This is my biggest win. My first stakes, my first graded stakes and first stakes at Del Mar.”
Other racing:
Woodbine
Pender Harbour put a nose in front of Celtic Conviction on the wire in Sunday’s $500,000 (Canadian) Breeders’ Stakes to claim the final jewel of the Canadian Triple Crown. Celtic Conviction then was demoted to third for stretch interference with Crown’s Path, who was promoted to the place position. Pender Harbour, with Luis Contreras up, raced in the second flight behind a pace duel, came quite wide into the stretch and was all out for the win. The Philanthropist gelding, trained by Michael De Paulo, finished the 1 1/2 miles on soft turf in 2:36.31. Pender Harbour also won the second leg of the Canadian Triple, the Prince of Wales Stakes, at Fort Erie last month. Inglorious won the Queen’s Plate but her connections elected to try the Alabama at Saratoga rather than pursue glory north of the border. Contreras, however, rode the winner in each of the three races.
“He was comfortable the whole way,” Contreras said. “I just tried to keep him in the race. I was in a good position and I tried to keep my position. Turning for home, when I put my horse outside and really asked him, he gave me everything. He was a little tired at the end, but I was tired, too.”
Mountaineer
Bred in Kentucky by Chestnut Farm, Modern Cowboy split rivals into the stretch in Saturday’s $85,000 Governor’s Handicap and won the dash home by 1/2 length over Demarcation. The winner, a 4-year-old Tiznow colt, ran the 1 1/16 miles on the main track in 1:45.40.
News and Notes:
Happily, the Kentucky Cup Day of Champions is back, thanks to WinStar Farm. “When we read that the Kentucky Cup had to be cancelled due to the economic conditions in our state last year, we were deeply saddened,” said Elliott Walden, head of WinStar Farm. “The Kentucky Cup has been an integral part of Kentucky’s racing calendar for the last 15 years. We are committed to helping this industry that gives Kentuckians so much and felt like we wanted to get involved with this spectacular day. We also have some creative ideas that you will hear about in the coming weeks.” All five races – the Classic, Distaff, Sprint, Juvenile and Juvenile Fillies, will be run Sept. 24. The Classic will carry a $200,000 purse; the others, $100,000 each. “We deeply appreciate WinStar’s willingness to sponsor this outstanding day of racing,” said Turfway Park president Robert N. Elliston. “This isn’t the first time WinStar has stepped up to support our racing, but it is critical at this juncture. We likewise appreciate the horsemen’s willingness to work with us to return this day to our calendar.”
