UPI Horse Racing Roundup – July 28, 2014
July 28th, 2014By ROBERT KIECKHEFER
UPI Racing Writer
It was a weekend of triumph and disappointment for 3-year-old fillies as Taghrooda romped in the King George at Ascot but Untapable proved anything but unbeatable in the Haskell at Monmouth Park.
Meanwhile, the Haskell was only the tip of the iceberg in racing leading up to the Breeders’ Cup Classic, now just over three months away.
And there were some — even though we hate to overuse the word — amazing performances in the 2-year-old set.
Set your mind to digesting this:
The King George
Sheik Hamdan bin Rasheed Al Maktoum opted to hold Epsom Oaks winner Taghrooda out of the Irish Oaks in favor of the much tougher challenge of Saturday’s Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot — and came up aces. With Paul Hanagan at the controls, the 3-year-old Sea the Stars filly swept by the leaders in the stretch run and went on to win by a convincing 3 lengths. Telescope, who looked every bit the winner at mid-stretch, was relegated to second place, a short head in front of Mukhadram. Eagle Top, Trading Leather, Magician, Romsdal and pacemaker Letit Mor completed the order of finish. Taghrooda remains undefeated in four starts and now could soldier on through the summer with an eye on the Prix de l’Arc de Triophme in the fall should Sheik Hamdan so choose.
“Taghrooda has developed very strongly since the (Epsom) Oaks and she had two very tough nuts to crack up front today,” said winning trainer John Gosden. “They’d gone hard up there and given it plenty of toe. I thought those older horses would be hard to pass but she really showed her class and stamina. It was a special performance today and I am very glad that Sheikh Hamdan made the correct decision to come here. It was probably 85 per cent his decision to run here and it was a very bold move not running in the Irish Oaks.”
Gosden said if Taghrooda comes out of the race in good shape, “then the Yorkshire Oaks would seem a good place to go next. Then it’s up to the boss whether he thinks we should go to the Arc.”
It’s worth noting that another Sea the Stars 3-year-old, the German-bred colt Sea the Moon, also remains undefeated after winning the Deutches Derby — by 11 lengths.
The Haskell
Untapable indeed looked unbeatable as she rolled through the ranks of 3-year-old fillies during the first half of the year, sweeping through New Orleans, Louisville and New York largely unchallenged. So when trainer Steve Asmussen sent her out to tackle the 3-year-old colts in Sunday’s $1 million, Grade I Haskell Invitational, it’s no wonder she was the heavy favorite. But they run the races for a reason and it was Bayern who proved unbeatable, breaking on top and romping home a 7 1/4-lengths winner. Albano got past Wildcat Red late to snatch second from that one and Irish You Well again outran his odds with a stretch rally that got him fourth-place money, a head in front of Untapable. The filly was never a factor. But it was all about Bayern, an Offlee Wild colt, who finished 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:47.82 with Martin Garcia up. Bayern finished third in the Arkansas Derby — not good enough to make the Run for the Roses — and then was ninth in the Preakness, beating only Ria Antonia. But he came roaring to life in the Grade II Woody Stephens at Belmont Park last month, winning by 7 1/2 lengths while going 7 furlongs. Sunday’s two extra furlongs were a big question mark.
“It’s so exciting,” said winning trainer Bob Baffert. “I was hoping he’d be able to get a mile and an eighth. Gary Stevens after he rode him last time said, ‘You have to let him route again. He’ll just keep going.’ We tried to slow him down in the past but now we know we just have to utilize his speed … It looks like he has it all together now. He’s slowly maturing. The older he gets, the better he gets.”
The race was a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Classic and Baffert said he’s unlikely now to back Bayern up in distance.
Other divisional races:
Classic
While the Haskell was the marquee event in this division this weekend, there were other races well worth noting.
Another one won for Baffert and Garcia: Fed Biz got his chance in Saturday’s $200,000, Grade II San Diego Handicap to show he can go a distance of ground. Making his first start since finishing sixth in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile last fall, the 5-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway led all the way to a 5 1/4-lengths victory in course-record time of 1:41.00. Footbridge was best of the rest and You Know I Know finished third. The favorite, Frac Daddy, finished fourth. Fed Biz now is 3-for-4 at Del Mar and holds two course records on the Del Mar all-weather surface, having established the 7-furlongs mark of 1:21.12 last August.
“I had something left in the tank at the end,” said jockey Garcia. I think he’ll go farther.”
Trainer Bob Baffert added, “I knew he was going to run really well. He had been training like a monster and he has always been that kind of horse. He really loves this track and gets over it pretty well.”
Still, asked about the Grade I Pacific Classic as a potential first Grade I win for Fed Biz, Baffert said Sunday, “I know. But there are plenty of Grade I’s all over the country.”
Saturday’s $600,000, Grade II Jim Dandy at Saratoga featured a trio of 3-year-olds returning from the Belmont Stakes, including the winner, Tonalist. But this time out, it was Wicked Strong, who settled for fourth in the third leg of the Triple Crown, who came out on top, pressing the pace and then taking command to get home first by 2 1/4 lengths. Tonalist raced just behind Wicked Strong but couldn’t match the winner’s late foot and settled for second. Kid Cruz finished third, 3 3/4 lengths farther back. Wicked Strong, a Hard Spun colt, ran 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:49.16 under Rajiv Maragh.
Wicked Strong finished ninth in the highly predictive Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream Park in January. After that, he went on to win the Grade 1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct and then finished fourth in both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont. Winning trainer Jimmy Jerkens said Maragh shifted Wicked Strong out a few paths when he felt Tonalist coming.
“That discourages a horse that’s coming up behind you,” he said. “That’s race riding. That’s what you have to do.” He said Wicked Strong, “the way he works in the morning, I don’t think Secretariat worked any better than this horse does … I know the talent’s there. It’s just getting him to put it all together.”
Tonalist’s trainer, Christophe Clement, said Sunday the colt came back okay from his effort. “He was second best yesterday with the trip that he had,” Clement said. “Wicked Strong ran a really nice race and we live to fight another day. We will do everything we can to be back in the Travers.”
Trainer Linda Rice said Kid Cruz also is headed to the “Midsummer Derby”.
On Friday at Saratoga, V.E. Day rallied from last of nine to win the $100,000 Curlin Stakes for 3-year-olds by a head over Charge Now with the favorite, Protonico, just a nose farther back with a late move. V.E. Day, an English Channel colt, ran 1 1/8 miles on a fast track in 1:50.51 with Jose Lezcano riding. The winner was unraced as a 2-year-old, broke his maiden in his third race and now has three straight wins up the class ladder.
“He’s bred top and bottom turf and ran very well on the turf last time,” said winning trainer Jimmy Jerkens. “But he trained so well on the dirt, I wanted to give him a chance and this was a nice spot to run him against straight 3-year-olds. I still don’t know if he’s better on turf or dirt, to be honest with you.”
But after winning the Jim Dandy, he said he will have to consider both Wicked Strong and V.E. Day for the Travers. “A big race like that, you’ve got to try it,” he said.
Valid pressed the pace set by Bradester in Sunday’s $200,000, Grade II Monmouth Cup, got by that one entering the stretch and held sway, winning by 1/2 length. Pants On Fire, making his first start since the Japan Cup Dirt last December, ran evenly to finish third. Valid, a 4-year-old Medaglia d’Oro gelding, ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:41.43 with Orlando Bocachica up. He was coming off a third-place finish in the Grade III Salvator Mile and now has five wins from 17 starts.
“Orlando did a great job,” said winning trainer Marcus Vitali. “I told him to lay close to the pace, not to get too far behind the leader, and he did just that. My horse really showed up today.”
Distaff
Majestic River tracked the early pace in Sunday’s $200,000, Grade II Molly Pitcher Stakes at Monmouth Park, then took over in the stretch and won off by 2 1/2 lengths. Montana Native was second, Lucky Rag Doll third and the pacesetting favorite, Natalie Victoria, faded to finish last. Majestic River, a 4-year-old A.P. Indy filly, ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.11 for jockey Rosie Napravnik. It was her third straight win and fifth from eight career starts but her first appearance in a graded stakes.
“The race played out perfect,” Napravnik said. “I got a great setup and she ran awesome. I had plenty of horse in the stretch.”
Antipathy wrested the lead from Swinger’s Party midway through Sunday’s $200,000, Grade III Shuvee Handicap for fillies and mares at Saratoga and came home better than the rest to win by 2 lengths. Stanwyck finished second, Hot Stones was third and the favorite, Flashy American, struggled home fifth over a testing, muddy track. Antipathy, a 4-year-old A.P. Indy filly out of the Mr. Prospector mare Love Style, ran 9 furlongs in 1:52.80 with Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard. The Darley-bred, Godolphin-owned filly, was coming off an impressive third-place finish behind Close Hatches and Princess of Sylmar in the $1 million, Grade I Ogden Phipps at Belmont Park. The Phipps was her first stakes try.
“She’s just gotten good,” said winning trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. “She’s improved a lot, and if you look back at the allowance races she lost, two nice fillies beat us. She’s improving and we’re very happy to get a Grade 3 win.”
La Tia more than repaid her return ticket from Chicago with an easy, 6 1/4 lengths victory in Saturday’s $150,000 (Canadian) Grade III Ontario Matron at Woodbine. The 5-year-old, Illinois-bred City Place mare led from the start, got a breather and found another gear when challenged by Royal Fury, who finished second. Northern Passion was third and Spring in the Air finished fourth. La Tia, with Justin Stein riding, got 1 1/16 miles on the all-weather track in 1:42.70. Based at Arlington Park, she now is 2-for-3 at Woodbine.
“She was really relaxed,” Stein said. “I let her have a little gallop in the warm up and she was happy to do that. She’s just one of those horses that wants to go about her business and she wanted to get going.â€
Turf
Irish Surf shot out to a huge lead in Friday’s $100,000, Grade III Cougar II Handicap at Del Mar and wasn’t about to be caught. At the finish, the 4-year-old Giant’s Causeway colt was out front by 8 1/4 lengths with the favorite, Sky Kingdom, second. Ice Cream Truck was third. Irish Surf, with Elvis Trujillo in the irons, ran 1 1/2 miles on firm turf in course-record time of 2:29.01. It was his third win from 18 starts and represented a new running style after laying off the pace while on the turf in his earlier races.
“This is a nice, late-maturing horse,” said winning trainer Dan Hendricks. “He loves this track. He ran well here as a 2-year-old and it looks like he’s finally found his best surface.”
He said he will consider the $1 million, Grade I Pacific Classic on Aug. 24.
Guys Reward tracked down pacesetting Fredericksburg in the final sixteenth to win Sunday’s $150,000, Grade III Metropolitan Jets Oceanport Stakes by 1 length. Under Control closed well to finish third, 3/4 lengths shy of Fredericksburg. Guys Reward, a 7-year-old son of Grand Reward, ran 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:40.48 with Paco Lopez in the irons.
“I thought he was waiting a little closer than he usually does,” said winning trainer Dale Romans. “But it looked like he needed to. He’s just a good, old hard campaigner. When the horse is right, he gives you his all, and he did that today.”
Sprint
Big Macher dueled to the lead in the stretch run in Sunday’s $300,000 Grade I Bing Crosby Handicap at Del Mar, then held off the late-running favorite, Goldencents, to win by 1/2 length. Seeking the Sherif finished third. Tyler Baze rode Big Macher, a 4-year-old Beau Genius gelding, over 6 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:08.82. He took four tries to score his first win, finally getting his picture taken at Santa Anita last October. Since then, Big Macher has not missed the board in seven starts, with four of those being wins.
Coup de Grace came wide around the leaders into the stretch in Saturday’s $200,000, Grade II Amsterdam Stakes for 3-year-olds at Saratoga, hit the front with a furlong left and cleared, winning by 3 lengths. C. Zee was second and Captain Serious finished third. Coup de Grace, a Tapit colt, ran 6 1/2 furlongs on a fast track in 1:15.32 with Rosie Napravnik at the controls. Coup de Grace, another who ran in the Holy Bull, advanced from a 10th-place finish in that race to win the Grade III Bay Shore at Aqueduct in his next start and later accounted for the Oh Say Stakes at Delaware Park.
Winning owner Rick Porter said, “In his last two races he’s found his style, coming from off the pace and making one big run. Rosie rode him perfectly today.” He said Coup de Grace will be pointed to the Grade I King’s Bishop at Saratoga on Aug. 3 and “we’ll find out how good he is.”
Rainbow Heir aired it out in the stretch run in Sunday’s $100,000 Teddy Drone Stakes at Monmouth Park, kicking clear to win by 3 1/2 lengths. Trickmeister rallied from well back to finish second and the favorite, Ribo Bobo, checked in third. Rainbow Heir, a 4-year-old colt by Wildcat Heir, ran 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:09.02 with Angel Serpa up. He started his career with four straight wins, including the Grade III Jersey Shore last July at Monmouth and now has six wins from 10 starts.
Filly & Mare Sprint
Starstruck launched a bid turning for home in Sunday’s $150,000, Grade III WinStar Matchmaker Stakes at Monmouth Park, found a way through rivals and went on to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Irish Mission. The favorite, Watsdachances, made up ground late from well back but settled for third. Starstruck, an Irish-bred, 5-year-old Galileo mare, ran 9 furlongs on firm turf in a speedy 1:46.35 with Kerwin Clark up. She also won the Matchmaker last year in her fourth U.S. start after racing in Ireland. However, she had not found the winner’s circle in six intervening starts.
“I’ve been watching the races all day,” Clark said, “and speed looked like it’s been holding on turf, so I wanted to be as close as possible without using her. Around the turn, I wasn’t sure if we’d be able to get through and I was just hoping it would split open. It did, and she ran well.”
Turf Sprint
Ageless swept by the leaders with a sixteenth of a mile left in Sunday’s $150,000, Grade III Royal North Handicap for fillies and mares at Woodbine and won by 1/2 length over Sky Treasure. Goldstryke Glory led the way and salvaged show money. Ageless, who is only 5, is a Successful Appeal mare. With Luis Garcia up, she ran 6 furlongs on firm turf in 1:07.39, equaling the course record established by Starticus six years ago.
Juvenile
Conquest Tsunami is going to have to look out of town to find competition. Only two others bothered to try the Ontario-bred Stormy Atlantic colt in Saturday’s $125,000 (Canadian) Colin Stakes at Woodbine and they were running for the smaller checks. Conquest Tsunami, with Patrick Husbands up for trainer Mark Casse, led, extended the lead and won by 6 3/4 lengths, effortlessly. He finished 6 furlongs on the all-weather track in 1:10.22. He’s now 3-for-3, with the first win coming at Keeneland, and has never been tested.
“He was the class of the race and he showed today that he was the best horse,” said Husbands. “He won pretty easy, but he could win easier than that. He’ll have to step up a few more notches if he wants to tackle the big boys.”
Competitive Edge, a Super Saver colt making his first start for trainer Todd Pletcher, ran away and hid from seven rivals in a Saturday maiden event at Saratoga, winning by 10 1/4 lengths in a hand ride. With John Velazquez hanging on, the odds-on favorite ran 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:09.89.
“He has never disappointed us in anything that he has done, literally, from the first time we breezed him. He continually showed us he’s a very talented colt, and every time we did something with him it was impressive. So we had high hopes coming into today. You never know when you run one for the first time. We were impressed, but not surprised.”
He said the Grade I Hopeful on Sept. 1 is on the agenda for Competitive Edge.
Lux stalked the pace in Sunday’s $150,000 Rio Grande Senor Thoroughbred Futurity at Ruidoso Downs, quickly took over when called upon and raced off to win by 7 lengths over early leader Roll On Red Raider. Glide Path finished 2 lengths farther back in third. Lux, a Quinton’s Gold gelding, ran 5 1/2 furlongs on a fast track in 1:05.17 with Ruby Gomez up.
International:
England
Kodi Bear got to the lead with 2 furlongs left in Saturday’s 7-furlongs Titanic Belfast Winkfield Stakes for 2-year-olds at Ascot and won by 1 1/2 lengths from Disegno. Muhaarar finished third. Kodi Bear, an Irish-bred colt by Kodiac, won for the first time in his third career start.
Osaila took Saturday’s Group 2 Princess Margarte Juddmonte Stakes by 2 lengths over Pastoral Girl with Explosive Lady third. Osaila, a 2-year-old Danehill Dancer filly, now has two straight wins following a novice stakes triumph at Doncaster.
On Saturday at York, Sheikhzayedroad rolled late from behind a slow pace to take the Group 2 Skybet York Stakes narrowly over Secret Gesture and Windhoek.
Germany
Lucky Lion chased the leaders down the stretch in Sunday’s Group 1 Grosser Dallmayr Preis-Bayerisches Zuchtrennen at Munich, reached the lead with less than 100 yards to run and won by 1/2 length from British invader Noble Mission. Calyxa finished third. Lucky Lion, a High Chaparral colt, bounced back from a second-place finish in the German Derby, 11 lengths in arrears of Sea the Moon. That loss, however, is his only defeat in five trips to the track for trainer Andreas Lowe.
Japan
Japanese runners have been “thisclose” to winning the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe several times in the past 15 years but never quite landed the prize at Longchamp. This year, the Japanese contingent might have the best chance ever if plans work out to send the top-shelf trio of Just A Way, Gold Ship and 3-year-old filly Harp Star. Just A Way is landed the Group 1 Dubai Duty Free this March and is listed at the top of the world rankings. Gold Ship is the only two-time winner of the Group 1 Takarazuka Kinen. And Harp Star
Elsewhere:
Gulfstream Park
Burn the Mortgage got through between rivals heading into the stretch run in Saturday’s $75,000 Eight Miles East Stakes, quickly took command and drew off to a 4 1/2-lengths victory. Decisive Moment was second and Dustymour rallied from last to get show money. Burn the Mortgage, a 5-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy, ran 1 1/16 miles on yielding turf in 1:43.97 with Edgard Zayas up for owner/trainer Mike Maker.
Monmouth Park
Geeky Gorgeous led from the start in Saturday’s $75,000 Regret Stakes for fillies and mares and went on to win by 4 1/2 lengths, ridden out. Salamara, Ms. Cruisen’ and Who Needs completed the order of finish. Geeky Gorgeous, a 5-year-old Devil His Due mare, ran 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:09.67 with Angel Serpa in the irons.
Prairie Meadows
Serendip came from last of five to upset Saturday’s $75,000 Prairie Meadows Handicap, winning by 1/2 length over Doctor Peter. Fordubai faded to finish third and the odds-on favorite, Grand Contender, chugged home fourth. Serendip, a 4-year-old Ghostzapper colt, ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:44.17 with Ricardo Santana Jr. in the irons.
