Koichi Nishikawa’s Cafe Pharoah sat just off the leaders in the early going of the $1,847,689 February Stakes (G1) on Sunday at Tokyo RaceCourse, came out for the drive after turning for home, wore down the leaders to take charge in deep stretch and was best by three quarters of a length at the wire. It’s the third graded stakes win for the 4-year-old colt by American Pharoah, trained by Noriyuki Hori, now 7-5-0-0 with earnings of $1,896,258 to date. Consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, to the 2019 OBS March Sale, he was sold for $475,000 to Narvick International, Agent, after turning in an Under Tack quarter in :21 1/5. watch his under tack video watch a video of the race
A pair of OBS graduates scored stakes wins on Saturday at Laurel.
Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC and Willis Horton Racing LLC’s Bankit came around horses on the turn to reach contention after relaxing early in the $100,000 John B. Campbell Stakes, took over at the head of the stretch and cruised to victory by a length and a half. It’s the second straight stakes win and fourth stakes victory in all for the graded stakes placed 5-year-old son of Central Banker, consigned to the 2018 OBS March Sale by SGV Thoroughbreds LLC (Steven Venosa), Agent, where he breezed an Under Tack eighth in :10 2/5 before he was purchased by Winchell Thoroughbreds LLC for $260,000. Trained by Steve Asmussen, he’s now 27-5-8-4 with $876,675 in earnings. watch his under tack video
Sonata Stable’s Lucky Stride posted her second straight stakes win in the $100,000 Nellie Morse Stakes, tracking the early leaders, circling horses to take command turning for home and easing away to score by a length and a quarter. It’s the second stakes win in North America for the 5-year-old mare by Declaration of War, a multiple graded stakes winner at three in Puerto Rico. Consigned to the 2018 June Sale by Randy Miles, Agent, she was sold for $7,000 after an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5. Trained by Mike Trombetta, she’s now 17-10-4-1 with and has earned $231,550 to date. watch her under tack video
Kaleem Shah, Inc.’s Bella Vita stalked the leaders from the outside in Santa Anita’s $101,000 Spring Fever Stakes on Sunday, took over a quarter mile out and drew off down the stretch to win by 4-1/2 lengths. It’s the first stakes win for the 4-year-old daughter of Bayern, now 5-2-2-1 for trainer Simon Callaghan with earnings of $146,996. She turned in an Under Tack eighth in :9 4/5 before she was purchased for $400,000 by Ben McElroy, Agent for KSI, out of the Harris Training Center LLC, consignment at the 2019 OBS Spring Sale. watch her under tack video
OBS was represented with a winner the day before the Saudi Cup in the International Jockey Challenge when Emblem Star came from just off the pace, took the lead in the stretch and scored a daylight victory in the $400,000 one mile handicap test. The winner is a 4-year-old colt by Take Charge Indy, consigned to the 2019 OBS Spring sale by S B M Training and Sales, Agent, and sold to Emblem Stables for $190,000 after breezing an Under Tack eighth in :10 1/5. watch his under tack video watch a video of the race