3 minute read
Australia, Japan and the US
(AUS) First stakes winner for Mulaazem
Liwa wins Supremacy Stakes
Emirates Park homebred filly Liwa (2 f ex Sboog by Redoute’s Choice) broke her maiden in Sunday’s Supremacy Stakes (Listed, 1000m) at Ascot and in doing so became the first stakes winner for Mulaazem (Dubai Destination). Having her fourth career start, the Simon Miller-trained filly ran down Pixie Chix (Rommel) to score by a nose, with another length and a half beach to Hoi An (Longma) in third.
Liwa is the second winner from as many foals to race out of the Redoute’s Choice (Danehill) mare Sboog who is herself a half-sister to Rothesay (Fastnet Rock). Sboog’s Sebring (More Than Ready) filly was bought by Matthew Dale for $100,000 from the draft of Emirates Park at last month’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale while Sboog herself was sold for $100,000 at last year’s Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale. She produced a colt by Spirit Of Boom (Sequalo) last year before being covered by Pierata (Pierro). Mulaazem is now based at Wavering Downs in New Zealand having begun his stud career at Emirates Park.
Emirates Park Stud enjoyed a good weekend breeding three stakes winners with Lightsaber (Zoustar) winning the VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) and Marboosha (Dream Ahead) winning the Incognitus Stakes (Listed, 1100m).
(JPN) Second stakes winner for Duramente
Titleholder leads all the way in Japanese 2000 Guineas Trial
Titleholder (3 c ex Mowen by Motivator) led throughout to win the Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen (Japanese 2000 Guineas Trial) (Gr 2, 2000m) at Nakayama to give his sire Duramente (King Kamehameha) his second stakes winner. Duramente was the winner of the 2015 Japanese 2000 Guineas (Gr 1, 2000m) and Japanese Derby (Gr 1, 2400m) and last season’s champion first season sire of Japan. Titleholder won by one and a quarter lengths with Schnell Meister (Kingman) in second while Danon The Kid (Just A Way) a further neck back in third.
(USA) 76 for Curlin
Idol wins Santa Anita Handicap
The Richard Baltas-trained Idol (4 c ex Marion Ravenwood by A P Indy) won Saturday’s Santa Anita Handicap (Gr 1, 10f) to provide his sire Hill ‘N’ Dale Farm-based sire Curlin (Smart Strike) with his 76th stakes winner and 12th Grade 1 winner. Settled down at the rear of the field under Joel Rosario, Idol went wide round the home turn and ran down the far outside to catch the leaders and score a half-length victory over Express Train (Union Rags) with the same distance back to the favourite and previously undefeated Maxfield (Street Sense) in third. A US$375,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase by John Holmes in 2018, Idol had been placed twice at Grade 2 level previously and Saturday’s win took his record to three victories and three placings in six career starts. He is one of two winners and the only stakes winner out of Listed winning mare Marion Ravenwood (A P Indy).
(USA) 26th Grade 1 winner for More Than Ready
Frank Kilroe to Hit The Road
Former Vinery shuttler More Than Ready (Southern Halo) sired his 26th Grade 1 winner on Saturday when Hit The Road (4 c ex Highway Mary by US Ranger) took out the Frank E Kilroe Mile Stakes (Gr 1, 8f) at Santa Anita. Trained by Dan Blacker, Hit The Road settled down in fourth on the rail where he remained until straightening. Taking a run between runners, Hit The Road took the lead in the closing stages and held on to score by a neck from Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute) with a half length back to Count Again (Awesome Again) in third.
Bred by Fred Hertrich, Hit The Road was passed in for US$200,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is the only winner out of unraced mare Highway Mary (US Ranger) who is herself a half-sister to War Command (War Front) and Group 3 winner Naval Officer (Tale Of The Cat). Further back this is also the family of New Zealand 1000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m) winner Rollout The Carpet (Holy Roman Emperor). The victory was the first at Grade 1 level for young trainer Dan Blacker. More Than Ready meanwhile shuttled to Vinery for 19 seasons and is now based permanently at WinStar Farm in Kentucky.
(USA) Life Is Good remains undefeated in San Felipe
CHC owned son of Into Mischief on KY Derby trail
Life Is Good (3 c Into Mischief - Beach Walk by Distorted Humor) remained unbeaten in three career starts with a dominant victory in Saturday’s San Felipe Stakes (Gr 2, 8.5f) at Santa Anita. Trained by Bob Baffert for owners WinStar Farm and China Horse Club, the colt scored a dominant eight length victory over stablemate Medina Spirit (Protonico) whilst Dream Shake (Twirling Candy) was another two and a quarter lengths back in third.
Bred by Gary & Mary West Stables, Life Is Good was bought for US$525,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is now unbeaten in three career starts. Baffert won the race last year with subsequent Kentucky Derby (Gr 1, 9f) winner Authentic (Into Mischief) and Life Is Good earned 50 qualifying points towards this year’s Kentucky Derby (Gr 1, 10f) and the colt is now sitting in second position on the leaderboard with 60 points. "At the quarter pole, I could tell he was just still cruising, just doing it easy. I just feel fortunate that I have this horse in my barn. And my horse that ran second—he's a really nice horse,” said Baffert.
(USA) 102 for Kitten’s Joy
Domain Expertise win Florida Oaks
The previously stakes placed Domain Expertise (3 f ex Teroda by Limehouse) provided her sire Kitten’s Joy (El Prado) with his 102nd stakes winner on Saturday when she won the Florida Oaks (Gr 3, 8.f5f) at Tampa Bay Downs. The Chad Brown-trained filly scored a nose victory over Jouster (Noble Mission) with two and a half lengths back to Oyster Box (Tapit) in third. Domain Expertise is one of three winners and the second stakes winner out of Grade 3-placed mare Teroda (Limehouse) and her third dam is dual Grade 1 winner Goldenley (Farley). The filly was bought for US$200,000 as a foal at the 2019 Keeneland November Breeding Stock sales by DeMeric Stables. Kitten’s Joy is now based at Hill ‘N’ Dale in Kentucky where his 2021 fee is set at US$60,000.
