UPI Horse Racing Roundup – January 19, 2015
January 19th, 2015By ROBERT KIECKHEFER
UPI Racing Writer
After a spirited debate, last year’s Kentucky Derby winner has been named 2014 U.S. Horse of the Year — just as this year’s crop of Derby contenders is getting fully revved up to see if they can follow in those hoofprints.
California Chrome was named both Horse of the Year and 3-year-old male champion in Eclipse Award voting results announced Saturday night at a black tie dinner at Gulfstream Park. California Chrome garnered 143 Horse of the Year votes while Main Sequence got 53 and Bayern tallied 36. The 3-year-old Eclipse balloting was equally lopsided. See more in news and notes.
Meanwhile, there were some surprises along this year’s “Road to the Roses” and among Kentucky Oaks candidates.
And, before the swells put on their formal wear to watch Jeanine Edwards emcee the Eclipse dinner, the Sunshine Millions provided plenty of entertainment at Gulfstream.
Internationally, Hong Kong saw a glimpse of the future. And French jockey Flavien Prat had a good weekend with stakes wins in California and Arizona.
Hoping for good racing weather everywhere, let’s get to the juicy details.
The “Road to the Roses”
It surely looked like Eagle was the horse to beat in Saturday’s $200,000, Grade III LeComte Stakes at Fair Grounds after finishing his 2-year-old season with an impressive third-place finish in the Grade II Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs. But it wasn’t his day. Stuck in the outside gate, Eagle was bumped wide into the first turn, ran wide all the way and chucked it in late, finishing seventh. That opened the way for a lot of potential talent and it was International Star taking full advantage under Miguel Mena. He didn’t have a perfect trip, either, but made the best of what he could find and reported home first by 2 1/2 lengths after shifting outside for running room in the lane. War Story was second, a head in front of Tiznow R J. International Star, a son of 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus out of the French Deputy mare Parlez, ran 1 mile and 70 yards on a fast track in 1:43.62. It was his third win from seven starts and followed a fourth-place showing in the Kentucky Jockey Club, 5 lengths in arrears of Eagle. Mike Maker trains the colt for Ken and Sarah Ramsey who had a good day altogether, collecting dual Eclipse Awards as the top owners and breeders just hours later in Florida.
“We expected a big race – maybe not that big,” Maker said. “But he was coming into the race great.” He said International Star will return to Florida but might make another visit to Louisiana for the $400,000, Grade II Risen Star on Feb. 21. The 10 points earned for the victory vaulted International Star into a first-place tie with El Kabeir on the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” standings maintained by Churchill Downs.
Cross the Line crossed the line first in Saturday’s $100,000 California Derby on the all-weather track at Golden Gate Fields. Cross the Line tracked the pace, surged to the lead turning for home and won by 1 3/4 length over the favorite, Soul Driver. Stand and Salute finished third. Cross the Line is by Line of David, the upset winner of the 2010 Arkansas Derby — over Super Saver. Cross the Line finished Saturday’s 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.79 with Juan Hernandez in the irons and now has two wins, a second and a third from four starts, all at Golden Gate.
“We took our time with him,” said winning trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. “He’s a big horse and he wasn’t responding really well early on. He had some time off after we bought him at the sale. It looks like he might get a little more ground.”
He said he expects to run Cross the Line back in the $200,000, Grade III El Camino Real over the same track on Feb. 14.
3-year-old fillies
I’m a Chatterbox, a fading also-ran in her last two starts, shot out to an early lead in Saturday’s $125,000 Silverbulletday Stakes at Fair Grounds, extended the advantage into the stretch and won for fun, finishing 8 lengths ahead of runner-up Forever Unbridled. Money’soncharlotte finished third. The favorites, Top Decile and West Coast Belle, finished sixth and fourth, respectively. West Coast Belle had been undefeated in three previous starts, handling I’m a Chatterbox and others easily in the Grade II Golden Rod at Churchill Downs in November. Top Decile was second to Eclipse champion Take Charge Brandi in the Breeders’ Cup in her last previous start. I’m a Chatterbox, a daughter of Munnings, ran 1 mile and 70 yards on a fast track under Florent Geroux in 1:43.21 — a tad quicker than the 3-year-old colts in the Grade III LeComte two races later.
She was making her first start for trainer Larry Jones, who commented, “I didn’t have any game plan. I told Florent, ‘Ride her like you own her and need the money really bad.”
Overprepared had an extra six days to prepare for Friday’s weather-delayed, $100,000 Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct. It didn’t appear she really needed any additional preparation, though, as the Quality Road filly led from the start, turned back a challenge and edged clear late to win by 1 1/4 lengths. Liberty Island was second and Dianestillworks finished third. The Godolphin entry of Been Here Before and Bonnet Plume finished seventh and last in a field of nine. Been Here Before lunged at the start, spotting the field 3 lengths. Bonnet Plume hit the gate and was left even farther behind. Overprepared, with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons, ran 1 mile and 70 yards on a fast track in 1:44.69. Overprepared won at first asking at Belmont Park in October, then finished third after a brutal trip in the Smart Halo Stakes at Laurel Park in her only other previous race.
“I had a perfect trip,” Ortiz said of Friday’s race. “My filly broke good and settled for me and when I asked her, I had a lot of horse. She was a little green in the stretch, but she’s a very good filly.”
Dubai
(By RICHARD GROSS)
Reynaldothewizard demonstrated in Thursday night’s Dubawi Stakes at Meydan that he still has some magic tricks up his 9-year-old hooves. The veteran whisked past four-consecutive-race-winning rival Muarrab in the stretch, reappearing in front at the finish for the first time since the 2013 Golden Shaheen. Muarrab settled for second, 3 3/4 lengths back with United Color a duller third.
Trainer Satish Seemar seemed as surprised as he was excited at the eighth career win by the fan-favorite, sprint-specialist son of Speightstown. “He is not usually 100 percent on his first outing and he was running on dirt when he’s been used to the all-weather (Tapeta),” said the Zabeel Stables conditioner. “But he looked to be one or two lengths better on the dirt than he was on the all-weather.”
Seemar was not the only trainer feeling better about the Meydan dirt Thursday evening. South African saddler Mike de Kock may be rethinking last week’s stated intention to plant his charges only on Meydan grass after his runners Mubtaahij and Ajwad posted a one-two finish in the UAE 2000 Guineas Trial over 1,400 meters of Meydan sand. Mubtaahij’s impressive 5-length advantage over his stablemate charts him as a potential Dubai World Cup night contender. Favored Maftool finished a neck behind in third for trainer Saeed bin Suroor.
“I didn’t expect Mubtaahij to have so much gas in this race,” said new dirt-fancying trainer De Kock. “He’s by Dubawi and is suited to dirt.”
Mubtaahij is aimed at the UAE 2000 Guineas and a possible go at the UAE Derby on Dubai World Cup day. The trainer’s newly found success on the new Meydan surface was underscored by the mere short-head loss of Ad Idem to bin Suroor-trained Local Time in the card’s 1000 Guineas Trial opener over 1,400 dirt meters. Godolphin’s Darley-bred Invincible Spirit filly Local Time now has clocked in first for the distance in four consecutive timings over three different surfaces.
“She is small but tough,” commented winning jockey James Doyle.
The irony about the surface just kept coming as de Kock’s favored Star Empire finished third behind bin Suroor’s Haafaguinea and France’s Mr. Pommeroy in the 2,000-meters turf Jebel Ali Port handicap, giving bin Suroor his second winning hand of the evening. Things became stranger still when the action switched to grass for the evening’s final outing and de Kock’s highly rated Royal Ridge was an also-ran ninth in the 1,600-meter Mina Rahsid handicap won by Belgian Bill in a thrilling contest with the first nine finishers, including runner up Dark Emerald and placer Free Wheeling, all within a single length of each other at the wire.
Le Bernardin seemed to have regained the form expected of a son of champion Bernardini with a 4 3/4-lengths stomping over Famous Kid in the 2,000-meters Mina al Hamriya dirt handicap with Energia Davos out of gas in third, a head in front of Storm Belt.
Layl couldn’t be contained in the 1,900-meters Fujairah Container dirt handicap, finishing 4 1/4 lengths ahead of Street Act, who got his act together enough to poke a nose in front of Jeeraan and finish second.
Speaking of containers, Dubai port shipping operator DP World takes the helm to take over sponsorship of the former Dubai Duty Free on Dubai World Cup day, March 28, renaming the contest the Dubai Turf. DP World will lay another $1 million on deck, increasing the Dubai Turf purse to $6 million and offering Thoroughbreds an even $30 million on the world’s richest day of racing.
Gulfstream Park Sunshine Millions
Weekend Hideaway ran away and hid from a half dozen rivals in the stretch run in the $100,000 Sprint, winning by 4 lengths over Grande Shores. The odds-on favorite, Happy My Way, made the show bettors happy. Weekend Hideaway, a 5-year-old son of Speightstown, ran 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:08.64 with Javier Castellano up. He was coming off three successive sixth-place finishes in New York.
Manchurian High rallied from well back in the $100,000 Turf, took full command in the lane and won by 3 1/4 length over the favorite, Reporting Star. Bad Debt was third. Manchurian High, a 7-year-old gelding by The Daddy, ran 1 1/16 miles on firm turf in 1:43.03 under Luis Saez. He finished his 2014 campaign with a win in the Laurel Turf Cup and a third place in the Grade III W.L. McKnight Handicap at Gulfstream.
Dame Dorothy came to challenge for the lead at the quarter pole in the $150,000 Distaff, quickly got a daylight lead and held on despite drifting in deep stretch to win by 2 lengths over Sheer Drama. Flutterby finished third. Dame Dorothy, a 4-year-old Bernardini filly, ran 7 furlongs on a fast track in 1:23.26 with Edgar Prado riding. She won her first four career starts before finishing third in the Grade III Comely Stakes at Aqueduct in her last previous start.
Pink Poppy took over the lead after a slow half mile in the $100,000 Filly & Mare Turf, picked up the pace and led the rest of the way, winning by 1 1/2 lengths over Waterway Run. Awesome Flower finished third and the favorite, Speed Seeker, finished fifth. Pink Poppy, a 4-year-old Tiznow filly out of the Rahy mare Boa, ran 1 1/16 miles on firm going in 1:43.51 for jockey Julien Leparoux. She finished seventh in the Tropical Park Oaks over the same course in her last start as a 3-year-old.
And in the finale, the $250,000 Classic, Sr. Quisqueyano held sway in deep stretch to post a 20-1 upset win, beating East Hall by 1/2 length with Catholic Cowboy third and Transparent fourth. The favorite, Wildcat Red, finished a distant fifth. Sr. Quisqueyano, a 5-year-old son of Exclusive Quality, was claimed for $62,500 in his last start on Dec. 14 and earned $153,450 on Saturday.
“When I run my horses, I’m usually one of the favorites,” said winning trainer Peter Walder, who put in the claim. “I hate looking at the board and seeing 20-1, so it’s kind of satisfying for me to put one over like that.”
Or, as Daily Racing Form’s Marty McGee has been heard to say, “It’s an easy game.”
Santa Anita
Thegirlinthatsong came from just off the pace to take the lead in the lane in Saturday’s $200,000, Grade II La Canada Stakes for 4-year-old fillies and Lexie Lou, making her first start on real dirt, couldn’t reel her in, finishing second by 4 1/4 convincing lengths. The early leader, Jojo Warrior, finished third, a head behind Lexie Lou. Thegirlinthatsong, a Texas-bred daughter of My Golden Song, ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.84 with Rafael Bejarano in the irons.
“I think Rafael wanted to stay back a little more than what I wanted him,” said winning trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. “I asked him to stay as close as he could and be comfortable, so he did that, and that ended up working out well.”
Corey Nakatani, who rode Lexie Lou, commented, “Not bad for her first time on dirt. Not bad at all.”
Fanticola led from the start in Saturday’s $75,000 Megahertz Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf, survived a couple of challenges and finally won by 1/2 length over Blingismything. Rusty Slipper finished third and the favorite, Nashoba’s Gold, faded to finish ninth. Fanticola, a 5-year-old daughter of Silent Name, ran 1 mile on firm going in 1:35.11 for jockey Martin Garcia.
Kitten’s Point rallied by Lady Pimpernel in the stretch run of Sunday’s $75,000 Astra Stakes for fillies and mares and went on to win by 1 1/2 lengths over that rival. Lady of Gold vied for the lead late but settled for third. Kitten’s Point, a 5-year-old mare by Kitten’s Joy, ran 1 1/2 miles on firm turf in 2:26.61 with Flavien Prat aboard. It was the second weekend stakes win for the young rider from France, following Saturday’s $75,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile at Turf Paradise.
Fair Grounds
Hard Aces rallied around all four rivals turning for home in Saturday’s $75,000 Louisiana Handicap and swept away the pot, winning by 4 lengths over Fordubai. The odds-on favorite, Albano, finished 2 1/2 lengths farther back in third. Hard Aces, a 5-year-old son of Hard Spun, ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:44.61 with Jose Riquelme in the irons. Hard Aces has been a consistent check-earner and seems to be heating up for trainer Larry Jones.
String King, a royal presence in the state-bred ranks, broke through against open company with a convincing win in the $125,000, Grade III Col E.R. Bradley Handicap. With James Graham up, the 7-year-old Crowned King gelding tracked the early pace of Gentlemen’s Kitten, went by that rival in the lane and won by 1 1/4 lengths. Highball was third, just a nose behind Gentleman’s Kitten. String King ran about 1 1/16 miles on good turf in a good time of 1:42.42. He was fourth in this race last year and second in the same event a year earlier.
“This is a marvelous horse who has won stakes at 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7,” said winning owner-trainer Charlie Smith. “Outside of winning the Kentucky Derby, winning a Grade III in front of the home folks is enough for me. I can tell you the strength of this horse in one word – tenacity.”
Notte d’Oro outfinished Eden Prairie to win Saturday’s $60,000 Marie G. Krantz Memorial Handicap for fillies and mares by 1 length. Hung the Moon rallied from far back to finish third. Kitten’s Dumplings, made the favorite despite a 14-month layoff, showed litte, fading to finish next-last of 11 with a wide trip. Notte d’Oro, a 4-year-old Medaglia d’Oro filly, ran about 1 1/16 miles on good turf in 1:43.68 with James Graham up. It was her first stakes try but she now has won three of her last four trips.
Oaklawn Park
Mufajaah rallied six-wide from the back of the pack to win Saturday’s $100,000 Pippin Stakes for fillies and mares, scoring by 3 lengths over Haunted Heroine. Pearl Turn finished third and the favorite, Spring In the Air, got home last of nine, never in the mix. Mufajaah, a 4-year-old Tapit filly, ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:44.49 with Emmanuel Esquivel in the irons. It was her fourth career win but first in a stakes.
“She always seemed like she was pretty happy over this racetrack, and she ran back to her races here,” said winning trainer Danny Peitz. “I knew a good race would put her right in the mix here with these fillies today.”
Carve got back on the winning track in Friday’s $100,000 Fifth Season Stakes. After stalking the pace set by Zee Bros, Carve surged to the lead early in the stretch run and drew off to win by 3 1/2 lengths. Code West was along for second, 2 3/4 lengths in front of the fading Zee Bros. Carve, a 5-year-old First Samurai gelding, ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.44 under Jesus Castanon. He now is 4-for-7 at the Hot Springs oval.
“This is the one we wanted to start our season off with,” said winning owner Mike Langford. “The horse has trained unbelievable. He likes Oaklawn. For whatever reason, I don’t know. He’s like his owner, I guess.” Langford lives in Jonesboro, Ark.
Aqueduct
Willet rolled by the leaders late in Saturday’s $100,000 Interborough Stakes for fillies and mares and got home first by 1 1/2 lengths. Aireofdistinction rallied for second, a neck in front of Expression. Willet, a 7-year-old Jump Start mare, ran 6 furlongs on the fast inner track in 1:10.65 with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons. It was her first win since last July at Saratoga but she has been consistently competitive in graded stakes in the interim.
“It was great that she should come back after the last race,” said winning trainer and part-owner Jimmy Iselin, referring to a seventh-place finish in the Grade III Go For Wand Handicap. “That was a little concerning. But after that race, she was flourishing … It’s great that she came back and showed what she can do.”
Captain Serious forged to the lead early in the stretch run in Sunday’s $100,000 Hollie Hughes Stakes for New York-breds and held off long shot Crafty Dreamer, winning by 3/4 length. I’m Stokes and Geaux Mets were a pair of heads farther back in third and fourth. Captain Serious, a 4-year-old Successful Appeal gelding, ran 6 furlongs on the sloppy inner track in 1:10.70 with Jose Ortiz Jr. at the controls.
Delta Downs
Parc Monceau set a comfortable pace in Friday’s $70,000 Eldorado Stakes, found another gear when asked in the lane and won off by 6 1/2 lengths. Run Hide My Girl was along for second, another 5 1/4 lengths ahead of Honeycomb Allie. Parc Monceau, a 5-year-old Giant’s Causeway mare, ran 1 mile on a fast track in 1:39.53 with Donnie Meche up.
Hip Four Sixtynine rallied by pacesetting School Spirit in the stretch run to win Saturday’s $70,000 Freemont Stakes for 4-year-olds and up by 3 1/2 lengths over that foe. The favorite, Bellarmine, raced off the pace and lacked a stretch rally, finishinig third. Hip Four Sixtynine, a 5-year-old son of Southern Image, ran 1 mile on a fast track in 1:38.95 under Donald Simington.
Turf Paradise
Power Ped, the only Southern California invader in the field, went to the post as the favorite in Saturday’s $75,000 Cotton Fitzsimmons Mile and justified the support, winning by 2 lengths from just off the pace. Red Zeus and Az Ridge followed the winner across the wire. Power Ped, a 5-year-old Powerscourt gelding, finished in 1:35.44 over firm turf with Flavien Prat in the irons.
Turfway Park
Ghost Is Clear stuck a nose in front of Hollywood Talent to win Saturday’s $75,000 Forego Stakes. Pataky Kid was 2 lengths farther back in third at the end. Ghost Is Clear, a 7-year-old Ghostzapper gelding, ran 6 1/2 furlongs on the all-weather course in 1:18.45 with John McKee riding.
Hong Kong
Beauty Only emerged as a shining beacon for the future of Hong Kong racing with an impressive victory over a promising field in Sunday’s HK Group 1 Hong Kong Classic Mile at Sha Tin. With Neil Callan up for trainer Tony Cruz, Beauty Only ran in midfield with cover through the early furlongs of the first race of Hong Kong’s 4-year-old series. In the stretch, he moved right with and outside of Giant Treasure, finally getting by that one to win by 2 1/4 lengths. Divine Calling just nipped Giant Treasure for second. The race went in 1:33.05. Callan said the stretch run past Giant Treasure was very impressive.
“It was pretty instant. I went past him very easily and he just idled in the straight.” Cruz called Beauty Only “a new star in Hong Kong racing. He’s on the rise and he will be one of the top horses in Hong Kong.”
If so, it’s just in time to take advantage of some of the new international Grade I events. The series continues with the HK Group 1 Hong Kong Classic Cup at 1,800 meters and culminates in the HK Group 1 BMW Hong Kong Derby at 2,000 meters in March.
News and notes:
The results of Eclipse Award voting:
Horse of the Year
California Chrome, 143; Main Sequence, 53; Bayern, 36; Shared Belief, 12; Untapable, 11; Wise Dan, 6; Adelaide (IRE), 1; Take Charge Brandi, 1. Voter Abstentions, 2.
Two-Year-Old Male
American Pharoah, 126; Texas Red, 111; Hootenanny, 16; Carpe Diem, 7; Dortmund, 3; Ocho Ocho Ocho, 2.
Two-Year-Old Filly
Take Charge Brandi, 236; Lady Eli, 23; Condo Commando, 3; Sunset Glow, 3.
Three-Year-Old Male
California Chrome, 193; Bayern, 56; Shared Belief, 15. Voter Abstentions, 1.
Three-Year-Old Filly
Untapable, 265 (Unanimous).
Older Male
Main Sequence, 127; Palace Malice, 103; Wise Dan, 25; Goldencents, 9; Game On Dude, 1.
Older Female
Close Hatches, 155; Dayatthespa, 64; Don’t Tell Sophia, 19; Judy the Beauty, 15; Iotapa, 7; Beholder, 5.
Male Sprinter
Work All Week, 184; Goldencents, 52; Palace, 12; Private Zone, 11; Bobby’s Kitten, 2; Bayern, 1; Big Macher, 1; Secret Circle, 1; Shared Belief, 1.
Female Sprinter
Judy the Beauty, 261; Midnight Lucky, 1; Living The Life (IRE), 1; La Verdad, 1; Awesome Baby, 1.
Male Turf Horse
Main Sequence, 243; Wise Dan, 18; California Chrome, 2; Karakontie (JPN), 1; Adelaide (IRE), 1.
Female Turf Horse
Dayatthespa, 260; Crown Queen, 2; Coffee Clique, 1; Room Service, 1. Voter Abstentions, 1.
Steeplechase Horse
Demonstrative, 206; Divine Fortune, 12; Decoy Daddy (IRE), 5; Makari, (GB) 2. Voter Abstentions, 40.
Owner
Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey, 179; Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc., 21; Kaleem Shah, Inc., 20; Flaxman Holdings, Ltd., 18; Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC, 12; Steven Coburn and Perry Martin, 6; Maggi Moss, 2; John Oxley, 1; Robert Evans, 1. Voter Abstentions, 5.
Breeder
Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey, 129; Adena Springs, 43; Winchell Thoroughbreds, 43; Flaxman Holdings, LLC, 29; Steven Coburn and Perry Martin, 6; Helen Alexander 3; WinStar Farm, 3; Darley, 1; Midwest Thoroughbreds, Inc., 1. Voter Abstentions, 7.
Trainer
Todd Pletcher, 100; Chad Brown, 64; Art Sherman, 45; Bob Baffert, 20; Graham Motion, 13; Jerry Hollendorfer, 11; Steve Asmussen, 6; D. Wayne Lukas, 3; Karl Broberg, 1; Edward Graham, 1; Mike Maker, 1.
Jockey
Javier Castellano, 203; John Velazquez, 34; Mike Smith, 8; Joel Rosario, 8; Rosie Napravnik, 5; Victor Espinoza, 4; Irad Ortiz, Jr., 2; Alexis Batista, 1.
Apprentice Jockey
Drayden Van Dyke, 225; Juan Saez, 11; Trevor McCarthy, 6; Taylor Rice, 6. Voter Abstentions, 17.
