Thoroughbred Racing Roundup
October 25th, 2011By ROBERT KIECKHEFER
UPI Racing Writer
Some stars and budding stars took center stage around the world’s race tracks during the weekend as the calm before the Breeders’ Cup storm descended on North America.
From Black Caviar running her undefeated record to 15 in a row in Australia to Camelot showcasing his potential for next year’s English classics to Orfevre winning the Japanese Triple Crown, it was an illustrious few days of racing.
Oh. And there were some loveable, rescued kitties finding new homes at Hawthorne Race Course outside Chicago. See “News and Notes” below.
England
Galileo and Montjeu, the star stallions of Coolmore Ireland and both sons of Sadler’s Wells, continue to turn out superstars and potential superstars. Galileo, with Frankel leading the charge, is at the forefront but Montjeu has had a hot run of late and Camelot’s easy victory in Saturday’s Group 1 Racing Post Trophy Stakes at Doncaster promises much more. Coming off a maiden win, Camelot, by Montjeu out of the Kingmambo mare Tarfah, lingered at the back of the small pack in the Racing Post, easily surged to the lead when given his cue and drew off to win comfortably. Zip Top was second, 2 1/4 lengths in arrears. Camelot ran the 1 mile on good turf in 1:38.58 with Joseph O’Brien just steering. The only question left by his dominating performance was what goals trainer Aidan O’Brien will set for him in his 3-year-old season. He already is an early favorite for the Epsom Derby but O’Brien, asked whether he might point to the 2,000 Guineas, said, “He can probably do whatever you want. You saw the speed and pace he has. Whatever route he takes, it will be very exciting.”
Australia
Black Caviar had no trouble at all running her perfect career record to 15 straight wins with an easy exercise in Saturday’s Schwepps Stakes at Moonee Valley. After trailing her stablemate, Doubtful Jack, the 5-year-old mare took the lead entering the stretch and won by 6 lengths. Here De Angels was third, 1 1/4 lengths farther back, and Scenic Blast, a former Aussie Horse of the Year, finished fourth upon his return from an unsuccessful California campaign. Despite the ease of the 15th straight win, trainer Peter Moody admitted to pre-race nerves.
“You don’t want to put the cart before the horse,” he said. “It looked easy on paper. But you’re always a bit toey.”
Moody has not bowed to pressure to send Black Caviar over the water to find tougher competition. He has hinted, though, that if she remains undefeated in the spring, Royal Ascot could be on her dance card.
Pinker Pinker, a 4-year-old filly stepping up in class, upset Saturday’s Group 1 Cox Plate, beating New Zealand star Jimmy Choux by 1 1/4 lengths. Rekindled Interest was third, a short neck farther back. The favorite and Godolphin Racing hopeful, Helmet, made the early going but folded when the pressure was applied and finished eighth. It was the first Group 1 triumph for Pinker Pinker, who was partnered by Craig Williams.
Japan
Orfevre opened a big lead in the stretch run of Sunday’s Group 1 Kikuka Sho and coasted home first by 2 1/2 lengths to become the seventh Japanese Triple Crown winner and the first since Deep Impact in 2005. The Stay Gold colt also picked up his fifth consecutive graded stakes win and sixth overall from 10 career starts. Bearing in mind how well the Japanese contingent has fared in recent meeting in such spots as Hong Kong and this year’s Dubai World Cup, the colt clearly bears watching on the international scene. In Sunday’s race, jockey Kenichi Ikezoe kept Orfevre in touch with the leaders, sent him forward turning for home and had an easy time of it thereafter. Win Variation closed stoutly to finish second and Tosen Ra took third. The 3,000 meters went in 3:02.8 over firm going – just 0.1 second off the course record.
“I am both delighted and relieved to have won after all the pressure that we’ve been through,” winning trainer Yasutoshi Ikee said of the Triple Crown battle. “I will have to see how he recovers from this race but if all goes well, challenges in the Japan Cup or the Arima Kinen is definitely an option … As a long-term goal, I hope to try him for the Arc (Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe).”
France
Be Fabulous swept by pacesetting Cavalryman turning for home in Sunday’s Group 1 Prix Royal-Oak at Longchamp and went on to win by 1 3/4 lengths. Miss Lago, Shankardeh and Tad De Boistron also ran by the tiring Cavalryman to finish second, third and fourth, respectively. Be Fabulous, a 4-year-old, German-bred Samum filly, finished in 3:21.47 with Maxime Guyon riding.
Italy
Quiza Quiza Quiza, running on her home ground and enjoying the soft going, came from behind the leaders to win Sunday’s Group 1 Longines Lydia Tesio by 1/2 length over English invader Beatrice Aurore. Kapital was home third. Quiza Quiza Quiza, a 5-year-old daughter of Golden Snake, was ridden by Fabio Branca as she picked up her second straight win.
Meanwhile, back in North America:
Delta Downs
Those looking ahead to next year’s Triple Crown need to keep an eye on the bayous, where My Adonis on Saturday night took an important baby step down the Road to the Roses in the $200,000 Jean Lafitte Stakes. The Kentucky-bred son of Pleasantly Perfect, out of the Elusive Quality mare Silent Justice, stalked the pace and then easily blew clear in the lane, winning by 5 1/4 lengths. Tiz Moe was best of the rest with Flashy Kid third. My Adonis, with Elvis Trujillo up for trainer Kelly Breen, ran the 1 mile on a fast track in 1:40.56. He now has two wins and three seconds from five starts and is expected to go next in the $1 million Delta Jackpot on Nov. 19. The $600,000 winner’s share in that graded event is a certain ticket to the Kentucky Derby under the current entry rules.
Also Saturday night, Citizen Advocate led all the way to a 1-length win over Devious Intent in the $150,000 My Trusty Cat Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. Ithinkisawapudycat (really!) finished third. Citizen Advocate, a Florida-bred Proud Citizen filly out of the Horse Chestnut mare Twilight Service, ran 7 furlongs in 1:26.94 with Luis Jurado in the irons.
Belmont Park
Haynesfield, back in action after a five-month break with bad feet, took charge in the lane to win the $200,000 McMahon Adena Empire Classic by 1 length over Green Monster. Johannesburg Smile finished third after each of the three top finishers led at one point or another in the 9-furlong event. Haynesfield, winner of last year’s Gold Cup over Blame, finished in 1:49.08 on a fast track with Ramon Dominguez up. Toby Sheets, assistant to winning trainer Steve Asmussen, said, “We’ve had a lot of ups and downs this year. His feet have bugged him a lot. We finally got it back together and he’s been training really well.”
Keeneland
Great Hot made up ground into the turn in Saturday’s $250,000, Grade II Lexus Raven Run Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, advanced to the leaders under urging from jockey Chantal Sutherland and was up in time, winning by a head over Groupie Doll. Dr. Diamonds Prize finished third but was disqualified to fourth for stretch interference, promoting Mizdirection to the show spot. Great Hot, a Brazilian-bred Orientate filly, ran 7 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:21.70 in her first start outside California. Last time out, she was second to Zazu in the 1 1/16-mile Lady’s Secret at Santa Anita. Sutherland, formerly riding in Canada and now in California, said, “Coming out of the gate, I got a welcome to Kentucky, a couple of bumps, and then she recovered really nice from there. I was staying in just a really sweet spot.” Asked what’s next, trainer A.C. Avila said he would talk to the owner. But, I added, “I think the Breeders’ Cup.”
Sanada got running room on the outside at the top of the lane in Sunday’s $125,000 Rood and Riddle Dowager Stakes for fillies and mares and scooted by the leaders to win by 3/4 length. Upperline, who led briefly at mid-stretch, held on for second and the favorite, Cheetah, who also led briefly, settled for third. Sanada, a 4-year-old, Kentucky-bred Pulpit filly, finished the 1 1/2 miles on firm turf in 2:31.19 with Edgar Prado up.
“We just can’t find mile-and-a-half races for her very often,” lamented winning trainer Barclay Tagg. “We always thought she’d like it that way. Edgar rode her to perfection and it worked out.”
Daisy Devine got first shot at the lead in the stretch run of Friday’s $150,000, Grade III Pin Oak Valley View Stakes for 3-year-old fillies and held on at the end to post a 43-1 upset win by 1/2 length over the favorite, Bizzy Caroline. The early leader, In Step, finished third. Daisy Devine, a Kentucky-bred Kafwain filly, ran the 1 1/16 miles on good turf in 1:43.30 with Calvin Borel in the irons. Winning trainer Andrew McKeever said Daisy Devine “hasn’t been the same” since finishing seventh in the Kentucky Oaks “until the last two weeks, when she’s really come back to herself.” He did not identify a next race for his filly.
Thursday’s $100,000 Sycamore Stakes came off the turf, which was just fine for the 5-year-old, German-bred, Sanagas. After stalking the pace, the Lomitas gelding got by the leaders with a three-wide move, then outlasted Tahoe Lake to win by 1/2 length in course-record time of 2:39.40 for the 1 5/8 miles. Rajiv Maragh had the mount for trainer Graham Motion.
“This was the most professional race he’s run,” Motion said. “Every race, he’s improved. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself but I think he’s going to be a very useful horse, particularly next year.”
Laurel Park
Candyman E came from well back in Saturday’s $150,000 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash, survived some traffic issues and still won by 1/2 length over early leader Immortal Eyes. Sloan Ranger finished third. Candyman E, a 4-year-old, Kentucky-bred Candy Ride gelding, finished the 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:09.43 under Joe Bravo.
“We were very happy to win it,” said trainer Tony Dutrow. “We don’t’ even have a plan for this horse after this win because with this field anyone’s number could have been up there on the board and it would not have been a surprise.”
News and notes:
Now, about the aforementioned kitties:
Horse people usually have a soft spot in their hearts for other animals and the Hawthorne Race Course bunch is no exception. Twenty cats – a consignment from some 700 rescued from deplorable conditions at a Florida facility – arrived Thursday afternoon at Hawthorne to start new lives as house cats and barn cats. Trainer Christine Janks spearheaded the local effort to help the felines, which had been spayed or neutered, wormed, vaccinated and medicated as needed thanks to various humane organizations. Trainer Jan Ely was taking one as a barn cat and another, a carrier of feline leukemia and thus not to be placed with other cats, as a house pet. A Hawthorne press box scribe reported, “Looked at the list of trainers and other track personnel adopting and it is impressive. These people work seven days a week, 365 a year, taking care of their horses and they are still able to make room in their lives to help another.”
