New Year’s Day races feature four Kentucky Derby fixtures
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Killer Ability won the G1 Hopeful Stakes and became the frontrunner for the 2022 Japan Derby. Photo courtesy of the Japan Racing Federation.
December 31 (UPI) – Not only is New Year’s Saturday, but it’s also the official Christmas for horses bred in the Northern Hemisphere. American tracks compulsorily eliminated four races for newborn 3-year-olds on January 1 to start their own routes to the Kentucky Derby.
Three of the races are official whistle stops on the Road to the Kentucky Derby with 10 points each for the winner, so the pickle at the top of the leaderboard promises to add a few more records.
Santa Anita also has graded stakes on grass and dirt, and Gulfstream Park entered the new year with 3-year-old stakes also on grass and dirt.
On the international stage, this year’s top-tier racing program in Japan concluded with Killer Ability winning the Hopeful Stakes on Nakayama turf, becoming an early favorite for the 2022 Classic.
Omega Perfume has won the Tokyo Daishoten race on the Oi dirt track – for the fourth year in a row. See the international section for details.
And before we forget, early next month, a new movie called “Jockey” will hit screens across the country. We’ve seen a preview version, and it’s really good. Filmed on location in Turf Paradise using real racing people, so you get the feel and details of the race just right. But it’s really as much about humanity as it is about racing. Worth a look.
Now, get rid of the old, and go with the new.
The road to roses
Saturday finds four one-mile races to begin racing, respectively, to the Arkansas Derby, Santa Anita Derby, Wood Memorial and Florida Derby. It’s still early, but it’s never too early to watch and learn. So …
Saturday’s Smarty Jones attracted $250,000 at Oaklawn Park 14 event There’s nothing quite like a solid favorite to be found in a morning streak.
Topping this list with a 3-1 odds is Home Brew, a Street Sense colt trained by Brad Cox who actually won on the track. Ben Diesel, Cole Papa J, Barber Road, Cavod and All In Sync are getting some attention too, but that sounds like it’s about anyone’s racing.
The five-horsepower field raised for $100,000 at the Class III Cham Stakes on Saturday in Santa Anita has some potential heavyweights and a few question marks.
Bob Baffert will be riding two – Rockefeller, Medaglia Douro Colt who was fourth in the American First Class Pharaoh in October and then went east to win the third class Nashua at Belmont Park on his last start.
There is also the first winner Del Mar. McKinnon, for American artist Pharaoh, who has a grass-to-dirt corner after finishing third in the Breeders’ Juvenile Turf Cup in his last game.
Oviat Klass, a Virginia-born Bernardini mare, finished third in the American Pharaoh and then fifth in the Juvenile Breeders’ Cup. The Hazard grade program did its best on the all-weather and grass tracks.
On Saturday, Jerome Stakes in the Aqueduct attracted $150,000 from an eight field.
Mr. Jefferson was last seen finishing second in Division Two Reimsen on December 4. The colt got two wins from five starts. Cook Creek’s Uncle Mo Colt had two wins and the second from three starts, the second coming in third division Nashua at Belmont Park in his last win.
Ohtwothreefive, a Union Rags colt, makes his seventh start and is seeking his second win as he exits again at the Central Park Stakes on November 27.
Six of them signed for the $150,000 Mucho Macho Man prize on Saturday at Gulfstream Park, and four of them are likely to compete for the grand prize.
Strike Hard, Flashback Colt and Skippylongstocking, by Exaggerator, finished first and third, respectively, on their last ride over the course. In August, Skippylongstocking took second place and Strike Hard third.
Graphic Detail comes south after an impressive win on its debut at Belmont Park November 6. Simplification won its second start by 16 3/4 length, but fell back on its single nested start.
Smarty Jones, Jerome, and Sham are included in the “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series, with 10 winners each and 4 points, and 2 points and 1 point in the secondary placements – unless, of course, one of Baffert’s trainees is in the top four in Sham .
Baffert is under the ban of Churchill Downs and his horses cannot earn points. Come to think of it, with only five in the race, it’s very likely that at least one of his two will finish in the top four.
Already in the books:
Dance Code was sent to the early lead at Parx Juvenile on Wednesday at $100,000 and maintained the wire advantage, winning by 1 1/2 despite a late drift.
The hadith came in second place, and the contestant’s objection to the winner was rejected, claiming an extended intervention. He finished the script in third place, lengths further by 2 3/4 as lags.
Dance Code, a Pennsylvania-born colt by Honor Code, ran 7 furlongs on the fast track in 1:26.32 with Nick Juarez. Trained by Juan Vazquez, Dance Code took its third win in six matches. He also finished third in the Class Three Sanford Stakes at Saratoga in July.
Chattalot competed for the lead in Monday’s $75,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes at the Fair Grounds, opening to a broad daylight lead and holding out a 6-furlong finish to win 1/2 length over Underhill’s Tab. Kentucky Blue was third on an even field.
Chatalot, a midnight colt from Kingmambo Mare Mamboalot, clocked in at 1:10.03 on a fast track led by Reylu Gutierrez, who had four 10-race card winners.
Coach Steve Asmussen didn’t tip his cards over the plans for the colt, which is now 3 for 5. His father excelled as a runner and his grandson was a world-class mum in France and England, so the pedigree doesn’t scream “first Saturday in May.”
On the grass:
Schedule includes $100,000 Eddie Logan Stakes Friday in Santa Anita and $100,000 Dania Beach Stakes Saturday in Gulfstream Park.
The road to Oaks
Friday’s eighth race at Oaklawn Park isn’t technically a matter of bets, but it might be, considering the quality of the nine-horse field that his $120,000 purse is attracting.
Bringing rain favorites on the morning streak, Brad Cox is a Nile filly pioneer who finished fifth in Class I Alcibiades in Keeneland and second in the Fern Creek Stakes at Churchill Downs last.
Steve Asmussen has worked Benedict Canyon in Hot Springs since his filly Midnight Lute finished fifth in the First Class Starlet at Los Alamitos.
And Ingrid Mason mocks Hypersport, a filly Blame pulling off her first win on the Oaklawn bar.
Look at them all for value, referring in particular to Secret Oath, by Arrogate, trained by D. Foot Case.
Saturday’s $100,000 cash run stakes in Gulfstream Park, one mile on the main track, are a field of seven. Most are recent winners with machine guns from those who took that first win, but have struggled to replicate the feat.
Already in the books:
Stand Up Comic took charge in Wednesday’s $100,000 Parx Futurity extended run, claiming a four-length win. The captain’s daughter and favourite, Miss Interpret, rode from farther into the field to finish second and third, respectively.
A practical joke filly, the Stand Up Comic ran 7 furlongs on a fast track in 1:26.29 for rider Frankie Pennington. This was her third win, after finishing twice off the board on the New York circuit.
Girl With a Dream led the way at Monday’s $75,000 Letllier Memorial at Fair Grounds, replaying the challenge halfway and going on to win a length of 1. Com’ On Sweet Luv came in second, 6 lengths behind the Mystique Saboteur.
A dream girl, a practical joke filly, ran 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:10.84. Florent Giroud had stand-up coach Brad Cox, who also handles Con ‘On Sweet Luv.
On the grass: Friday’s $100,000 Blue Norther in Santa Anita and Saturday’s $100,000 Ginger Drink in Gulfstream Park.
About ovals:
Santa Anita
Seven dealers signed off on Saturday’s $100,000 of third-class Robert J. Frankel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on the lawn.
Mucho Unusual, Rose and Luck of England look likely, with Luck exiting a pair of powerful red carpet hits at Class Three at Del Mar and Grade I Rodeo Drive in Santa Anita in their last two runs. This is a little shorter and seems easier.
Beer Can Man and Commander return from finish 1-2 in the November allowance event in Del Mar to compete Saturday’s $250,000 second-tier Joe Hernandez Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs down a hillside grass course.
The picture is somewhat dim due to the arrival of momos, Delaware, and gum from the East Coast and from France Bran.
With time she didn’t take off in the Breeders’ Cup, but she did come back to win the Division III Bayacoa Championship at Los Alamitos on December 5 – enough to make her the likely choice in Saturday’s Division III La Canada Stakes for Fillies and Mares. At 1 1/16 miles on dirt.
The other five aren’t particularly special but if time slips by again, it’s wide open.
fairgrounds
Monday results:
Excess Magic pressed the pace on the 3-year-old’s $75,000 Woodchopper Stakes bet, which was rolled by the first leader without resistance and won by 1 1/2. Point Me By was up for a second, 4 lengths better than my faded, Rightandjust cruiser.
Excess Magic, a charming colt, ran the one-mile on hard ground in 1:38.08 with Reylu Gutierrez in the iron.
Audrey’s Time made steady progress from the back of the Five Horses Arena at the Joseph E. He filled the Powder River and Velvet Crush trifecta.
Audrey’s Time, a 4-year-old filly uncle, ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.06 with Corey Laneire.
Lovely Ride got that from Gutierrez in a $75,000 Pago Hop Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. Candy Ride, coached by Brett Calhoun, prevailed in speed, moving between competitors and taking charge in the 16th Final to win by 3/4 length.
The Amish was rising for the second, his neck in front of the princess theory. Lovely Ride finished 1 mile on hard ground in 1:38.58.
PARKS RACE
Jakarta quickly rose to prominence in Tuesday’s $100,000 Ms. Klaus Stakes for foals and mares, and wasn’t too turbulent afterwards, winning by three lengths over Miss Mosaic. It was 7 more lengths that Mary wouldn’t call me third.
Jakarta, a 6-year-old mare of the Boston Stones, ran 7 furlongs on a fast track in 1:23.40, crowned by rider Mychel Sanchez.
Why Paul Why saved his time in Tuesday’s $100,000 Kris Kringle Stakes, moved a four-poster distance to take the lead on the fairway and kicked away to take the 2 1/4 length win. Davadik’s streak came in second, a nose in front of I Reddit.
Why Why Paul Why, the 4-year-old Archarcharch’s colt, finished 1 mile and 70 yards on the fast track in 1:42.92 with Kendrick Carmouche going up.
Dreams Untold kept pace despite the first few frills of the $100,000 Blitzen Stakes on Tuesday, then sped up to the top and claimed a 3/3/4 length win. Repo Rocks was ahead of second by 1/2 length in front of Forthluffofbourbon.
Dreams Untold, 4-year-old Smarty Jones of the Seattle Slew mare Shootforthestars, ran 6 furlongs on the fast track in 1:10.46. Frankie Pennington owned the mountain.
Around the world and around the clock:
Japan
Killer Ability took first place in record time in the race in the Class 1 smoothbore Tuesday at Nakayama Racecourse, automatically jumping into consideration for the 2022 Japanese Classic.
Confidently swept by rookie young rider Takeshi Yokoyama, the Deep Impact colt came to challenge the leader as he entered the span with a wide three, took the lead within the 100m and sprinted to a 1/2 length win.
Justin Palace, another Deep Impact mansion, came in second, 1/4th better than Lagolf.
Killer Ability won his second appearance at the same 2,000m distance at the Kokura racetrack, then finished second behind Danon Scorpion in a major race, Hagi Stakes at Hanshin on October 30. Danone Scorpion…
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