Lexitonian upsets Vanderbilt
Just a head away from winning a Grade 1 two starts ago, Lexitonian (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) was on the winning end of another close finish in Saturday’s G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt H. at Saratoga.
Having the lead early on, the 5-year-old had to settle for second for much of the run behind Special Reserve (USA) (Midshipman {USA}) before he engaged that runner in the stretch. In the end, Lexitonian rewarded his backers with a 0.5l victory at odds of 34-1. Last year’s Champion Sprinter Whitmore (USA) (Pleasantly Perfect {USA}) finished third.
“He’s homebred and people don’t see how much work goes into the foals, weanlings and yearlings,” said Lexitonian’s trainer Jack Sisterson. “Eddie Kane, the farm manager, puts so much hard work and effort and it’s rewarding for me to give a little bit of success back to them.”
The Calumet homebred is a grandson of Grade 1 winner Swap Fliparoo (USA) (Exchange Rate {USA}), who in turn is a granddaughter of Grade 1 winner Flip’s Pleasure (USA) (Flip Sal {USA}).
Dr. Schivel gets second Grade 1 victory
A winner of the G1 Runhappy Del Mar Futurity as a 2-year-old, Dr. Schivel (USA) (Violence {USA}) returned to the scene of his victory to win the G1 Bing Crosby S. at Del Mar on Saturday.
Racing midpack in the 1200-metre race, Dr. Schivel started his move by swinging out widest of all in the turn and racing five wide in the stretch. It was a four horse battle to the finish with Dr. Schivel not guaranteed the win until they hit the line with Eight Rings (USA) (Empire Maker {USA}) trying to come back on him as they approached the wire to finish second 0.25l behind the winner and C Z Rocket (USA) (City Zip {USA}) a fast-closing third to just miss out on second by a head.
Dr. Schivel is one of five winners from eight runners out of Lil Nugget (USA) (Mining For Money {USA}), a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Ultra Blend (USA) (Richly Blended {USA}). Others in the family include stakes winner Lakerball (USA) (Lakerville {USA}) and stakes-placed Swing Thoughts (USA) (U S Ranger {USA}).
Wonderful Tonight wins Lillie Langtry
Wonderful Tonight (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) was the final stakes winner of the Goodwood Festival on Saturday with a 2l victory in the G2 Qatar Lillie Langtry S. over 2800 metres.
Always in touch with the leaders, Wonderful Tonight had the lead far from the line as they raced through the final 800 metres. Tribal Craft (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) was the only one to come close to her in the closing stages with that runner cutting her lead down to 2l in the final 200 metres but the rest of the field over 10l behind the winner, led by Albaflora (GB) (Muhaarar {GB}) 11l back.
“To be honest, she races how she always does. She's energetic and I was delighted to get a lead on her. We went slow and she took it up a fair way out but has stuck on all the way to the line,” said jockey William Buick.
A multiple Group 1 winner, Wonderful Tonight is one of two stakes winners for three-time winner Salvation (GB) (Montjeu {Ire}). That mare is a half-sister to Australian stakes-placed Mr Garcia (GB) (Paco Boy {Ire}), who spent the last part of his career in Australia and retired after a second-place-finish at Doomben in March 2020. The family also includes G3 Easter Cup winner Inverloch (Ire) (Fastnet Rock), who is still racing for OTI Racing and Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young.
Essential Quality wins again for Godolphin
It was another Graded stakes victory for Godolphin homebred Essential Quality (USA) (Tapit {USA}) with a win in the G2 Jim Dandy S. at Saratoga.
Racing in last for much of the 1800 metre dirt race, the colt made his move around the turn and was engaged in a duel for much of the stretch when joining the leaders. Only Keepmeinmind (USA) (Laoban {USA}) stuck with the G1 Belmont S. winner and gave him a duel to the line, but in the closing stage Essential Quality starting edging away to have 0.5l on the second-place runner in the end with Masqueparade (USA) (Upstart {USA}) 2.25l back in third.
“There was a lot of ground lost today,” said trainer Brad Cox. “Luis (Saez) obviously had to work to win. He got something out of it, I do think that. I think he’s carrying a little more weight now than he was leading up to the Derby or Belmont. I think this was a good tightener for him, four weeks out from the Travers.”
Essential Quality is out of a multiple stakes-placed half-sister to champion juvenile filly Folklore (USA) (Tiznow {USA}). In recent times that mare is better known as the granddam of last year’s Japanese Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
Lady War Machine dominates Alywow
Street Boss (USA) had a smart winner on Saturday when his daughter Lady War Machine (USA) ran away with a 3l win in the Listed Alywow S. at Woodbine.
Pushing the early leader every step of the 1300-metre race, the filly took command after that one gave in at the top of the stretch. With Patrick Husbands asking her to give her best, Lady War Machine did just that when winning by 3l with the second-placed Honey Pants (USA) (Cairo Prince {USA}) all out attempting to catch her when keeping her own spot by 0.25l over La Libertee (USA) (Constitution {USA}).
“The straight here is so long you’ve always got closers,” said Husbands. “It doesn’t matter how you look at it… you’ve always got closers. With the turf, I try not to pick it up too early and go too early and get caught. I was just biding my time.”
Bred by SF Bloodstock and Matthew Sandblom, Lady War Machine is out of the Grade 3 winner Native Bombshell (USA) (War Front {USA}). That mare was imported to Australia in May of the year Lady War Machine was born and went to Russian Revolution that year. Dropping a filly in September 2019 by that sire, she had a Lonhro filly last season and visited Brutal (NZ) in his first season at stud last year.
The family already has roots in Australasia with multiple stakes winners in the region including New Zealand champion Warhorse (NZ) (General Nediym) and Australian Group 2 winner California Dane (Danehill {USA}).
