Thoroughbred Racing Roundup
December 19th, 2011By ROBERT KIECKHEFER
UPI Racing Writer
Liaison raced his way into the Kentucky Derby picture with a picture-perfect win in Saturday’s $750,000 Cash Call Futurity at Hollywood Park. One of three starters for trainer Bob Baffert, Liaison sat off the pace until jockey Rafael Bejarano sent him three-wide to the leaders with an eighth of a mile to run. Suddenly in the mix, the Kentucky-bred Indian Charlie colt got the edge and battled gamely to the wire, winning by a neck.
Rousing Sermon rallied from far back and just missed, finishing second. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to Brother Francis in third.
Liaison ran the 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather track in 1:42.86 and, should things work out, the $375,000 winner’s share of the Grade I purse would virtually guarantee him a spot in the Kentucky Derby starting gate.
Baffert said Sunday morning Liaison probably will run next during the Santa Anita meet.
“Nothing definite yet,” he added. “We all need to sit down and see how he’s doing. He’s on the Derby program.”
The silver-haired trainer needs a scorecard to sort out his Derby prospects at this point, just 4 1/2 months before the University of Louisville band plays “My Old Kentucky Home” under the twin spires. He also trains Sky Kingdom and Drill, who finished fourth and ninth, respectively, in the Futurity although Drill is looking more and more like an also-ran on the Road to the Roses. Baffert also saddles Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Sprint winner Secret Circle and Hollywood Prevue Stakes winner So Brilliant.
In other 2-year-old tussles:
Exfactor tracked the pace in Saturday’s $60,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes for 2-year-olds at Fair Grounds, came four-wide to challenge for the lead at the top of the lane and won a long stretch battle by a nose over Laurie’s Rocket. Afford was third. Exfactor, a Kentucky-bred Exchange Rate colt out of the Prized mare Bright Magic, ran the 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:11.78 with Shaun Bridgmohan in the irons.
“We started off with a good horse and that always helps,” said winning trainer Bernie Flint. Asked about the Louisiana Derby prospects, Flint said he “did spend the 500 (dollars) and nominate him early” to the Louisiana Derby series. “Now the whole thing is, if everything goes along, and if he keeps on moving forward, after all these 72 years, I might have a ticket to run in the big stakes here.”
Exfactor is 3-for-4 but had been idle since winning the Bashford Manor at Churchill Downs on July 2. Flint credited the owner, Jim Stone of Stoneway Farm in Kentucky, with letting him take his time with Exfactor.
“Hopefully now I have a nice horse for a winter campaign here at Fair Grounds and I’ve given him the proper time to get him ready for the classic distances that will be coming along later,” Flint added.
Sunday, on the Gulfstream Park turf, Summer Front stumbled out of the starting gate but recovered, stalked the pace and eventually got around the leaders to win by 1 1/2 lengths over the favorite, Finale. Excaper finished third. Summer Front, a Kentucky-bred War Front Colt out of the El Prado mare Rose of Summer, ran the 1 mile on firm turf in 1:35.57 with Ramon Dominguez up.
“He stumbled pretty badly coming out of the gate, and from there I just wanted to make sure I got him to settle in behind horses,” said Dominguez, who rode in New York, California and Florida on the three weekend days. “The plan was to follow Finale around there, thinking me and him were the two best horses in the race. I was able to get him into the clear around the far turn and from there he kicked it in really well.”
Winning trainer Christophe Clement added, “It’s not easy to win a mile race here with a wide trip …We didn’t try him on dirt this year, but maybe next year.”
In Japan, Alfredo remained unbeaten in three starts with a victory in Sunday’s Group 1 Asahi Hai Futurity at Nakayama Racecourse. There were no foreign starters in the $1.7 million event. With Craig Williams up on the colt for the first time, Alfredo, a son of Symboli Kris S, got home 2 lengths ahead of Meiner Robusto. Leo Active was third with a late run. The “about” 1 mile on good to firm going took 1:33.4.
In other racing:
Fair Grounds
Chamberlain Bridge shook off some early pressure in Saturday’s $75,000 Bonapaw Stakes, got a daylight lead and came home first, 1 length to the good of odds-on favorite Country Day. Southern Style came from last of seven to take show money at long odds. Chamberlain Bridge, a 7-year-old, Kentucky-bred War Chant gelding who won the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint in 2010, covered the “about” 5 1/2 furlongs on yielding turf in 1:03.41 with Jamie Theriot in the irons.
Trainer Brett Calhoun said Chamberlain Bridge has had some ups and downs since his championship season, including a dull run in this year’s Breeders’ Cup. “We really don’t have the Breeders’ Cup in our sights this year,” he said. “We’re not really basing everything around that so I would say you’ll see him showing up around here again.”
Fast Alex was just barely fast enough in Saturday’s $75,000 Tenacious Handicap, winning a stretch battle by a nose over Gleam of Hope. Prospect Knight was third, 15 1/4 lengths farther up the long Fair Grounds stretch. Fast Alex, a 4-year-old, Kentucky-bred Afleet Alex colt, ran the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:45.31 under Robby Albarado.
Cherokee Queen raced well off the pace in Saturday’s $75,000 Blushing K.D. Handicap for fillies and mares, circled the field six-wide with a quarter-mile to run and beat Pleasantly Blessed after a rousing stretch battle by a neck. Two more necks separated Bet On the Blue and Weekend Party in third and fourth. Cherokee Queen, a 6-year-old, Kentucky-bred Cherokee Run mare, ran the “about” 1 1/16 miles on yielding turf in 1:45.23 with Shaun Bridgmohan riding.
Gulfstream Park
Trickmeister, coming off a 15-month layoff, dominated Saturday’s $60,000 Harlan’s Holiday Stakes, leading all the way and drawing off with impunity to win by 5 1/4 lengths. Our Dark Knight was the best of the rest with Sky Venture third. Trickmeister, a 4-year-old, Kentucky-bred Proud Citizen colt, ran the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.63 with Javier Castellano in the irons for trainer Dick Dutrow.
Aqueduct
There was no arguing with the results of Sunday’s $60,000 Let Me Linger Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Tiz the Argument jetted down the stretch to win by 7 3/4 lengths. Withgreatpleasure was the best of the rest, 3/4 length ahead of Love and Pride. Tiz the Argument, a Florida-bred Closing Argument filly, ran the 1 mile and 70 yards on the fast inner track in 1:41.35 with Ryan Curatolo up.
San Pablo took command in the lane to win Sunday’s $60,000 Flying Chevron Stakes for 3-year-olds by 3 lengths over Norman Asbjornson. Isn’t He Perfect was third. San Pablo, a Kentucky-bred Jump Start colt, got the 1 mile and 70 yards in 1:41.37 under Cornelio Velasquez.
Red’s Round Table pressed the pace in Friday’s $60,000 Tate Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, surged to the front in the lane and quickly distanced her four rivals, winning 6 1/2 lengths. Nicole’s Miss El was second and Joyful Music finished third. Red’s Round Table, a Kentucky-bred Cuvee filly, ran the 6 furlongs on the fast inner track in 1:11.89 with Ramon Dominguez up.
Frazil dueled all the way to a 3/4-length victory over Pretty Boy Freud in Saturday’s $65,000 Gravesend Handicap. This Ones For Phil was another 3/4 length back in third and early leader Rule By Night was yet another 3/4 length in arrears, completing the order of finish. Frazil, a 5-year-old, Kentucky-bred gelding by The Cliff’s Edge, got the 6 furlongs on the fast inner track in 1:10.71 for jockey Cornelio Velasquez.
Turfway Park
Proceed Bee rallied to the lead in the stretch run in Saturday’s $50,000 Prairie Bayou Stakes, fended off multiple challenges and got home first by a head over Wealth To Me. Matty’s Trail was third. The favorite, Mad Flatter, finished sixth. Proceed Bee, a 5-year-old, Kentucky-bred Bernstein gelding, ran the 9 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:52.30 with Rodney Prescott up. Proceed Bee now has 12 wins and five thirds in 28 starts.
News and Notes
Online voting is now open for the second annual Secretariat Vox Populi Award, created by Secretariat’s owner, Penny Chenery. The Vox Populi, or “Voice of the People,” Award recognizes the racehorse whose popularity and racing excellence resounded most with the American public and gained recognition for the sport during the past year. This year’s nominees are Rapid Redux, who with 19 wins during 2011, equaled Citation’s modern day U.S. record for victories in a calendar year; Goldikova, the international star who attempted to win the TVG Breeders’ Cup Mile for the fourth consecutive year; Havre de Grace, the 4-year-old filly who captured the Woodward as well as other notable stakes races this year; and Uncle Mo, the 2-year-old champion of 2010 who thrilled fans in 2011 despite battling a liver ailment during the year. Last year’s winner was Zenyatta. Voting, through Jan. 2, is at www.secretariat.com.
