W.C. Racing’s Goldencents and Michael E. Pegram, Karl Watson, Paul Weitman’s Secret Circle are back to defend their titles as they head a contingent of 19 OBS graduates at the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita on Friday and Saturday.
Goldencents, winner of Del Mar’s Pat O’Brien Stakes (G2) this summer, is seeking to repeat in Friday’s $1,000,000 Dirt Mile (G1) and comes into the race off a nose defeat in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1) in early October. The 4-year-old son of Into Mischief, with five graded stakes wins to his credit and nearly $2.5-million in earnings. He was purchased by Dennis O’Neill, who bought him for $62,000 from Southern Chase Farm (Greg and Karen Dodd), Agent for Webb Carroll, at the 2012 June Sale after he sped a quarter in :21 1/5 at the Under Tack Show. watch his under tack video
Secret Circle, who won the 2013 Sprint (G1) off a single prep race, comes into Saturday’s $1,500,000 2014 renewal off a third place finish behind Rich Tapestry (IRE) and Goldencents in the Santa Anita Sprint Championship (G1). Trained by Bob Baffert, the 5-year-old son of Eddington was sold for $165,000 by Flying Fish, Agent, at the 2011 March Sale after an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5. Winner of the Southwest (G3) and Rebel Stakes (G2) at three, his resume boasts seven wins from eleven starts, three graded stakes wins and just under $2-million in earnings. watch his under tack video
Secret Circle will be joined in the starting gate by Antonino Miuccio’s Palace, trained by Linda Rice and winner of three graded stakes in 2014 including the Alfred G. Vanderbilt (G1) and Forego Stakes (G1) at Saratoga. Claimed by his current connections, the 5-year-old son of City Zip was sold for $160,000 by Crupi’s New Castle Farm, Agent, at the 2011 March Sale after an Under Tack eighth in :10 flat. A winner of 11 of 22 lifetime starts, he has earned more than $1.3-million to date. watch his under tack video
Magalen O. Bryant’s V. E. Day, who carries the OBS banner into Saturday’s $5,000,000 Classic, was overlooked at 19-1 prior to the Travers Stakes (G1) at Saratoga despite coming into the race off three straight wins. But the 3-year-old colt by English Channel put in a determined run down the stretch that ended in victory by a nose over stablemate Wicked Strong. Trained by Jimmy Jerkens, he was consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, to the 2013 March Sale and sold for $135,000 to Chester Stables LLC, Agent, after working a quarter in :21 4/5 at the Under Tack Show. Unraced at two, he’s now 7-4-1-0 and has earned $859,010. watch his under tack video
The stakes will be high when WinStar Farm LLC and Stonestreet Stables LLC’s unbeaten Carpe Diem and Richard C. Pell’s Calculator go to the post in the $2,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1). Carpe Diem, saddled by Todd Pletcher, comes into the race off a six length victory in the $500,000 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (G1) at Keeneland following an impressive win at first asking at Saratoga. The 2-year-old son of Giant’s Causeway was a $1.6-million co-sale topper at the 2014 March Sale. He was purchased by Stonestreet out of the Northwest Stud consignment after working an eighth in:10 1/5 at the Under Tack Show. watch his under tack video
Calculator, trained by Peter Miller, chased the talented American Pharoah up and down the west coast in September, finishing second in both the Del Mar Futurity (G1) and FrontRunner Stakes (G1) at Santa Anita. Miller signed the ticket when the 2-year-old Florida-bred colt by In Summation was sold for $132,000 by breeder Ocala Stud at the 2014 April Sale after working a quarter in :21 1/5 at the Under Tack Show. watch his under tack video
Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables, LLC & Nantucket Thoroughbred Partners’ Offering Plan runs in Friday’s $1,000,000 Juvenile Turf (G1). He comes into the race off a third place finish in Belmont’s Pilgrim Stakes (G3) after winning a Saratoga maiden special in his debut in August. The 2-year-old Spring At Last colt was sold for $135,000 by Mayberry Farm, Agent, at the 2014 April Sale after an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5. watch his under tack video
Three OBS graduates are entered in Friday’s $1,000,000 Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1). Savino A. Capilupi’s Nicky’s Brown Miss was a maiden going into the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies Stakes in September, but came home a stakes winner, drawing away in the stretch to a 2-3/4 length victory. Trained by her owner, the 2-year-old Big Brown filly has earned $133,847. Consigned by Mayberry Farm, Agent, to the 2014 March Sale, she breezed and eighth in :10 1/5 at the Under Tack Show. watch her under tack video
Destiny Oaks of Ocala LLC’s Quality Rocks is two for three and a graded stakes placed stakes winner. Trained by Bill Mott, the 2-year-old Florida-bred filly by Rock Hard Ten comes into the race off a second place finish in Keeneland’s Jessamine Stakes (G3) after scoring in the Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes in September. She was consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Agent, to the 2013 August Sale. Selected Sale conformation photo
Long Lake Stable LLC’s Tammy the Torpedo, trained by Chad Brown, was a winner at first asking in an $83,000 maiden special on the Saratoga turf course in August and then was second in her only other start, the Miss Grillo Stakes (G3) at Belmont in late September. The 2-year-old More Than Ready filly, who worked an eighth in :10 1/5 at the Under Tack Show, was sold for $225,000 by Niall Brennan Stables, Agent, at the 2014 April Sale. watch her under tack video
Another trio of 2-year-old fillies will represent OBS in the $2,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1). Todd Pletcher sends out Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners’ Feathered, third last time out in the Frizette Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. The 2-year-old daughter of Indian Charlie was sold for $300,000 by Crupi’s New Castle Farm, Agent, at the 2014 March Sale after working an eighth in :10 flat at the Under Tack Show. watch her under tack video
Fink, La Vida Loca Racing Stable LLC, Rogitz, Silverstein et al’s Hennythelovepenny steps into stakes company for the first time in the race after a runaway maiden special victory over the Santa Anita surface. She was purchased by trainer Peter Miller for $45,000 out of the Grassroots Training & Sales consignment at the 2014 April Sale after the 2-year-old daughter of Henny Hughes breezed an eighth in :10 2/5 at the Under Tack Show. watch her under tack video
Wonder Gal, owned by Treadway Racing Stable and trained by Leah Gyarmati, has never been off the board in three starts. After breaking her maiden in Belmont’s Lynbrook Stakes by 14 lengths in July, she comes into the Juvenile Fillies off a second place finish in the Frizette (G1) at Belmont earlier this month. Consigned by Old South Farm LLC, Agent, the 2-year-old Tiz Wonderful filly breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 before she was sold to Jeff Treadway for $210,000 at the 2014 March Sale. watch her under tack video
Campbell, Clark, Gatto Racing, LLC, Jerry Hollendorfer and Skoda’s Parranda and Ken & Sarah Ramsey’s Stephanie’s Kitten take on their division’s best in Friday’s $2,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1). Parranda has enjoyed success on both coasts in 2014, winning Gulfstream’s Suwannee River Stakes (G3) along with Santa Anita’s Wilshire (G3) and Royal Heroine Stakes (G2). The 5-year-old Florida-bred daughter of English Channel, now trained by Hollendorfer, was sold for $13,000 by Niall Brennan Stables, Agent, at the 2011 April Sale. With six stakes wins to her credit, she’s earned over $800,000. watch her under tack video
Stephanie’s Kitten comes into the race fresh from a victory in Belmont’s $600,000 Flower Bowl Invitational (G1) in September. It’s the third grade one win for the 5-year-old daughter of Kitten’s Joy, trained by Chad Brown. Consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, to the 2011 April Sale where she turned in an eighth in :11 flat at the Under Tack Show, she has racked up six graded stakes wins and more than $2.2-million in earnings. watch her under tack video
Saturday’s $1,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G1) has attracted a pair of OBS graduates, with Martin Racing Stable LLC’s Marchman and Lanni Family Trust’s Reneesgotzip set to try their luck on the downhill course.
Martin Racing Stable LLC’s Marchman, trained by Keith Desormeaux, posted two straight graded stake wins in 2014, taking Keeneland’s Shakertown Stakes (G3) in April and then scoring in Churchill’s Twin Spires Turf Sprint Stakes (G3) in May. The 4-year-old Sharp Humor colt, who has earned over $400,000 to date, was sold for $90,000 by Seahorse Stables LLC, Agent, at the 2012 April Sale after he breezed a quarter in :21 2/5 at the Under Tack Show. watch his under tack video
Lanni Family Trust’s Reneesgotzip is back for her third try in the Turf Sprint, third to Mizdirection in 2012 and second to her again last year. Prepped by trainer Peter Miller, she comes into the race off a victory in the C.E.R.F. Stakes at Del Mar after a third place finish in the Rancho Bernardo Handicap (G3) at the seaside course. Sold by Ricky Leppala, Agent, for $45,000 after an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5 at the 2011 April Sale, she’s bankrolled $869,860 to date. watch her under tack video
Big John B, claimed on behalf of Michael House by trainer Philip D’Amato at Keeneland in April, has paid big dividends, and comes into the $3,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) off a third place finish in the Santa Anita’s John Henry Turf Championship Stakes (G1). Two back, he was a 5-1/2 length winner of the Del Mar Handicap (G2). The 2011 June graduate was sold for $30,000 by Flying Fish, Agent after the now 5-year-old Hard Spun gelding worked an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5. He has earned just short of $500,000 to date. watch his under tack video
Braly Family Trust’s Tom’s Tribute, trained by James Cassidy, goes after his third straight graded stakes win in the $2,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1). The 4-year-old colt by Lion Heart took the Eddie Read Stakes (G1) at Del Mar and then returned for an encore in the Del Mar Mile Handicap (G2). He was purchased by Marilyn Braly for $310,000 out of the Wavertree Stables consignment at the 2012 March Sale on the recommendation of Gary Young after he worked an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5. watch his under tack video