Frances A. Genter & Pete Axthelm Highlight Grand Slam III at Calder
December 28th, 2007The $100,000 Frances A. Genter Stakes (G3) and $100,000 Pete Axthelm Stakes for 3-year-olds at 7 ½ furlongs on turf, the former for fillies, are among the most popular events on the Calder Race Course calendar each year, and Saturday’s renewals of the companion events have attracted overflow fields to highlight the track’s Grand Slam III program.
Also to be run on an outstanding 12-race card will be the $100,000 Stage Door Betty Handicap (G3) and the $100,000 Chaposa Springs Handicap for fillies and mares with the former going at 1 1/16 miles and the latter at seven furlongs, both on the main track.
Rutherienne Returns in Frances A. Genter
Virginia Kraft Payson’s Kentucky homebred filly Rutherienne is easily the best known horse nationally entered in Saturday’s races and will likely be odds-on to give trainer Christophe Clement his third winner of the Frances A. Genter Stakes with jockey Rene Douglas getting the call in the race that drew a field of 16 with 12 to start.
Rutherienne began her career on the Calder course late last year, winning her first two starts, including the $100,000 Cherokee Frolic Stakes, before emerging a division leader winning Graded stakes at Belmont Park, Monmouth Park and Saratoga and then posting her most significant victory in the Del Mar Oaks (G1) in August.
Rutherienne made only one start after the Del Mar race, finishing 10th as the favorite in the Garden City Stakes (G1) at Belmont on Sept. 8 when obviously not at her best, although beaten only 5 ½ lengths by the winner, leaving her record at seven victories in nine starts. She has posted a steady series of workouts for her return at Clement’s Payson Park winter headquarters.
While Rutherienne is a deserving favorite, others in the field have solid credentials on their best form, including Hidden Creek Farm’s Street Sounds with jockey Jose Lezcano aboard for trainer Michael Matz. The daughter of Street Cry was a $400,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase and has won three of seven starts on turf, including the Selima Stakes at Laurel Park as a 2-year-old and the Hilltop Stakes at Pimlico this spring.
Trainer Bill Mott sends out a pair of contenders with Dinwiddie Farm’s Pitamakan and Live Oak Plantation’s Sweet Ransom to be ridden by John R. Velazquez and Kent Desormeaux, respectively. Pitamakan appears to be the stronger of the two after winning two of five starts on turf and finishing a good third last out in the Valley View Stakes (G3) at Keeneland on Oct. 19.
Completing the body of the field for the Frances A. Genter are J. Fred Miller’s Beautiful Venue, G. Watts Humphrey, Jr.’s Katerbug; D and E Horses and Herman Wilensky’s Cozzi Capital, Poor Richard Stable’s Silence Dogood, DATTT Stable’s Dattts Awesome, Dennis Federico’s Maddy’s Heart, J D Farm’s Pretoria Light and Live Oak Plantation’s Snow Cone, the latter trained by Marty Wolfson, but coupled in the wagering with Secret Ransom.
Left on the also-eligible list were Bentley Smith Revocable Trust’s Lady Carlock, Marilyn Seltzer’s Marchesa, Marc Goldish and Savoy Stable’s Foret and G. Watts and Sally Humphrey’s Precious Princess.
‘Mysterious’ & Sleeping Indian Among Choices in Wide-Open Pete Axthelm
Trainer Marty Wolfson has won the Pete Axthelm Stakes three times previously and has a strong contender for Saturday’s 15th edition with Edmund Gann’s French-bred Mysterious Peintre with Elvis Trujillo aboard after a winning tune-up over the course in the Mel’s Hope overnight stakes on Dec. 9.
A son of 1997 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) hero Peintre Celebre, Mysterious Peintre was making his first start since being placed with Wolfson after campaigning in his native France early in his career. He finished fourth making his American debut in the Colonial Turf Cup (G3) in Virginia in June and produced mixed results in three more stakes outings in New York before arriving in the Wolfson barn.
Jockey Cornelio Velasquez rides Peachtree Farm’s Sleeping Indian for trainer Allen Jerkens and he appears to be a star on the rise after winning his last three of four career starts. The Lemon Drop Kid colt finished fourth sprinting in his debut on the main track at Saratoga in late August and is perfect in three starts since on turf, most recently capturing the Volponi Stakes at Aqueduct on Nov. 7 with Mysterious Peintre ninth.
Trainer Todd Pletcher sends out Edward P. Evans’ homebred Pleasant Strike with a good chance and John R. Velazquez in the saddle in his first start finishing a game second in the Rutgers Stakes over a ‘good’ course at Monmouth Park during Breeders’ Cup week on Oct. 24. The son of Smart Strike scored his most important victory in the Arlington Classic (G3) in June at Arlington Park.
The Pete Axthelm also drew 16 runners with 12 to start. Completing the body of the field are Camelia Casby’s Revival Ridge, David and Teresa Palmer and partners’ Storm in May, Walter (Buddy) New’s Izzie’s Halo, Joel Sainer’s Fair Weather Stan, Gilbert Campbell’s A Bit of Madness, Raymond Cottrell, Sr.’s Birdbirdistheword, Isaac Muhtar’s Fearless Eagle, Ol Memorial Stable and C.E. Glasscock’s Buffalo Man and Al Gold’s De Lucia.
The also-eligible list includes Michael Sherman’s World War, Patricia Generazio’s Mary’sdixietune, Zayat Stable’s Brainy Benny and Joseph Allen’s Brooklyn Boy.
Annabill & Amazing Speed Clash in Stage Door Betty
N T S Stable’s 4-year-old filly Annabill and Victoria Farm’s 4-year-old homebred filly Amazing Speed have been the leaders of the filly and mare division on the main track at Calder this year without having met, but will have a showdown in the Stage Door Betty Handicap as the highweights and likely favorites in the race won last year by Take D’Tour.
Jockey Edgar Prado has taken the call on Annabill for veteran horseman Milt Wolfson, who claimed the daughter of Outflanker early in her career for $25,000 and guided her to post earnings of $400,000 since then. Annabill won three straight stakes on the main track, including the Elmer Heubeck Distaff in November, and bids to bounce back from a rare dull try when seventh last out on turf in the My Charmer Handicap (G3) on Dec. 1.
Regular rider Carlos Olivero will be atop Amazing Speed after winning three of her last four starts in stakes, punctuated by a runner-up effort when turned back to seven furlongs in the Connie Ann overnight in November. Trained by Jose Garoffalo, the daughter of Langfuhr won the Shocker T. Handicap in October before the Connie Ann and came back for an easy tally in the Sonic Gray overnight last out on Dec. 8, both races at 1 1/16 miles.
Two others that will attract their share of support in the race are Jacks or Better Farm’s 4-year-old filly Bayou’s Lassie and Irving and Marjorie Cowan’s 4-year-old filly Cindy’s Mom with Elvis Trujillo and Eddie Castro named, respectively.
Bayou’s Lassie is a homebred daughter of Outflanker and was runner-up to Annabill in the Elmer Heubeck for trainer Christophe Clement, and finished a good second again in the My Charmer. She won the Calder Oaks last year for trainer Stanley Gold.
Cindy’s Mom is a homebred daughter of A.P. Indy and stretches out from a fourth-place try in the one-mile Top Flight Handicap (G2) at Aqueduct on Nov. 23 for trainer Allen Jerkens after a good try finishing second around two turns in the Turnbackthe Alarm Handicap (G3) early in the month.
Completing the field of 10 entered in the Stage Door Betty are Circle E Racing’s Beautiful Daniele, Charles Miller’s Potra Clasica, Wertheimer and Frere’s Quiet Royal, Kenwood Racing’s Exchanging Fire, Carson Springs Farm’s Stop a Train and Lucille Geranis’ Cat Can Do.
Forever Together & Change Up Top Eight in Chaposa Springs
Augustin Stable’s 3-year-old filly Forever Together was a star on the rise early this year at Gulfstream Park when she remained undefeated capturing the Forward Gal Stakes (G2) in her third start for trainer Jonathan Sheppard, and will likely be the favorite to recapture that top form in the Chaposa Springs Handicap against seven rivals.
Jockey Elvis Trujillo gets a return call on Forever Together after they finished third in the Connie Ann overnight stakes over the track and distance on Nov. 24 in her first start since mid-June. The roan/gray daughter of Belong to Me made two starts after the Forward Gal before going to the sidelines, losing a neck decision when second in the Beaumont Stakes (G2) at Keeneland in April and sixth trying two turns in the Susan’s Girl at Delaware Park in June.
Elaine, Richard and Bertram Klein’s homebred 3-year-old filly Change Up is another Graded stakes-winner in the field and Kent Desormeaux will be aboard for trainer Steve Margolis. A chestnut daughter of Distorted Humor, Change Up won the Pocahontas Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs last year for trainer Steve Flint and finished a strong second last out in the Dream Supreme Stakes at Churchill Downs on Nov. 23 in her fourth start this year for Margolis.
Completing the field are Sonya Chapman’s Prospect of Love, Wirth Brothers’ Cher Ami, Jerome Bozzo Trust’s Lucky Too, Charles Miller’s Potra Clasica and Michael Sherman and partners’ entry of Silkily and Running Lass.
Potra Clasica is also entered in the Stage Door Betty. Her trainer Marty Wolfson developed Chaposa Springs and guided her brilliant career highlighted by Grade I victories in the Test Stakes and Ballerina Handicap at Saratoga.
