Lashara another turf winner for Pharoah
The well-bred Lashara (GB) (American Pharoah {USA}) was stretched out to 1600 metres for her second start by trainer Mark Casse at Gulfstream Park and relished the added distance with an inspired run to break her maiden.
Going off as the race favourite, the filly raced in midpack as Uncle Mo’s (USA) Champagne Lady (USA) set the pace throughout the early running of the race. Moved closer by Luis Saez in the far turn, Lashara was only a few lengths behind the leader as the field entered the straight and ran that filly down in the final strides to win 0.75l to give Coolmore America sires the exacta.
The 36th winner for US Champion Freshman sire American Pharoah, she was almost joined one race later by Ima Pharoah (USA), who finished second by just 0.5l to Lookin At Lucky’s (USA) Mister Winston (USA).
Lashara is from Grade 3 winner Mabre Rose (Ire) (Smart Strike {Can}), a half-sister to Listed winners Aviatress (Ire) (Shamardal {USA}) and Gidu (Ire) (Frankel {GB}).
That trio hails from the family of Group 1 winner Zoftig (USA) (Cozzene {USA}) and her two Group 1 winning daughters with Grade 3-winning Verve’s Tale (USA) (Tale Of Ekati {USA}) also under Lashara’s third dam.
American Pharoah has had a top week around the world, leading all first-crop sires by average and aggregate at last weekend’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale.
Unique exacta for SF Bloodstock in Oaklawn Mile
Continuing a successful Saturday that started with Con Te Partiro’s (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}) win in the G1 Coolmore Legacy, SF Bloodstock scored a unique exacta in the Listed Oaklawn Mile at Oaklawn Park in the United States with Tom’s d’Etat (USA) (Smart Strike {Can}) and Improbable (USA) (City Zip {USA}) to end the day.
One of two stakes races run in the United States on Saturday, the Oaklawn Mile turned into a two-horse battle in the stretch with both having SF Bloodstock connections.
Run over 1600 metres, as the field turned into the straight it looked like Improbable, owned by WinStar Farm, China Horse Club, and SF Racing, would score on his seasonal debut. The chestnut shook off those he had been duelling with for most of the race and had a clear lead as they entered the final 400 metres.
It was SF Bloodstock-bred Tom’s d’Etat who would spoil Improbable’s day, however, as the last out Grade 1 winner added a third straight victory to his resume by 0.75l over Improbable with the pair 2l ahead of the third placed Bankit (USA) (Central Banker {USA}).
“The type of race he had, and the way Joel (Rosario) rode him to save a little bit to keep us on the upward part of the curve. That’s the hottest word in America right now. We don’t want to flatten the curve with this horse,” trainer Al Stall Jr. said after the race.
One of three winners for Listed winner Julia Tuttle (USA) (Giant’s Causeway {USA}), Tom’s d’Etat is from the family of top American sire Candy Ride (Brz) (Ride The Rails {USA}) and is bred on the same cross as four other stakes horses.
Giant’s Causeway completes double in Oaklawn Stakes
Giant’s Causeway (USA) completed a unique double on Saturday when his son Mr. Big News (USA) won the Listed Oaklawn S. two races after grandson Tom’s d’Etat won the other stakes on the card.
Going off at 46-1, Mr. Big News was happy to run near the back of the field in the 1800 metre race as the leaders set a fast pace in front. Making a move with 600 metres left to run, Mr. Big News ran up the outside of the field and turned into the straight just behind the leaders. Catching them just outside the 200 metre mark, he looked to have the race well in hand when Farmington Road found an extra gear to cut the winning margin down to 0.5l at the line with Taishan (USA) (Twirling Candy {USA}) finishing 3.5l behind the pair in third.
The top three finishers all earned a ticket to the Grade 1 Arkansas Derby on May 2. A Kentucky Derby prep race, the Arkansas Derby was moved earlier this month and offers qualifying points to the top four finishers.
Mr. Big News is out of Galileo's (Ire) daughter Unappeased (Ire), who is a three-quarter sister to Group 1 winner Sligo Bay (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}) and the dam of Japanese Group 2 winner Danon Ballade (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
Shuttling to Coolmore Australia for three seasons, the late Giant’s Causeway sired 117 winners from 169 runners including 11 stakes winners led by G1 Robert Sangster winner Juste Moment.
