Got Stormy wins second Fourstardave
Got Stormy (USA) (Get Stormy {USA}) again showed her love for the Saratoga turf course on Saturday when the Spendthrift Farm and MyRacehorse co-owned mare won her second G1 Fourstardave H. at the New York track.
Second in the race last year after winning it in 2019, the mare stalked the leaders while racing comfortably in third in the 1600-metre race. Tyler Gaffalione released her to show her best at the top of the stretch and she had the lead before they were even in the final 200 metres. A late closing Set Piece (GB) (Dansili {GB}) cut her lead down to 1.5l at the line but it was a comfortable victory for the mare, who saw Casa Creed (USA) (Jimmy Creed {USA}) finish third by 0.5l behind the second-place finisher.
“This was maybe even more exciting than winning the 2019 Fourstardave because they wrote her off,” said trainer Mark Casse. “They did the same to Tepin, and she came back. I’m really proud. There’s been some bumps along the road with her, but she came when it was time.”
Got Stormy is one of three stakes horses for her dam alongside multiple stakes-placed Sir Alfred James (USA) (Munnings {USA}) and stakes-placed Sky Gold (USA) (Successful Appeal {USA}). Their dam is a half-sister to Grade 2 winners Overdriven (USA) (Tale Of The Cat {USA}) and Smooth Air (USA) (Smooth Jazz {USA}) as well.
Two Emmys goes all the way in Mr D
In what is likely the final Grade 1 race at Arlington Park, Two Emmys (USA) (English Channel {USA}) made it memorable as the longest shot ever to win the G1 Mr D S at odds of 27.10-1.
It was a master ride by James Graham in the 2000-metre race as he controlled the pace on his mount and set easy fractions. That left enough for Two Emmys to have a strong 3.5l lead entering the final 200 metres with Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) eating up all but 0.25l of that when closing strongly. Glynn County (USA) (Kitten’s Joy {USA}) rounded out the top three when 2.75l behind the other two.
“I never thought I'd have a horse in the Million, and then when I do, it's not a million (dollars),” trainer Hugh Robertson told TVG's. “It's nice, but I wish they'd keep running.”
The final Graded stakes on the card, the Mr D S is set to be one of the final stakes at the track with Arlington Park on the market and likely to be sold to non-racing interests at the conclusion of its meet in September.
Two Emmys is out of a half-sister to the dam of Grade 1 winner V E Day (USA) with another half-sister the dam of three stakes winners. The family also includes Grade 1 winner Sunshine Forever (USA) (Roberto {USA}).
Another successful raid for Santa Barbara
Making her second trip to the United States in a month, Santa Barbara (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) added another Grade 1 to her record with an easy victory in the Beverly D S at Arlington Park.
Only racing a little over a length off of the pacesetting Mean Mary (USA) (Scat Daddy {USA}) in the 1900-metre race, Santa Barbara was cued up to run with 400 metres left to go. She had the lead soon after and pulled away under a hand ride to win by 3l with Mean Mary second by 0.25l over Lemista (Ire) (Raven’s Pass {USA}).
Santa Barbara is one of three stakes winners for Senta’s Dream (GB) (Danehill {USA}) alongside Grade 1 winners Iridessa (Ire) (Ruler Of The World {Ire}) and Order Of Australia (Ire) (Australia {GB}). The filly’s second dam is dual Grade 1 winner Starine (Fr) (Mendocino {USA}).
Point Me By earns Grade 1 honours in Bruce D
Making his debut on June 20, it took Point Me By (USA) (Point Of Entry {USA}) only three starts and less than two months to register his first Grade 1 victory in the Bruce D S at Arlington Park on Saturday.
The 3-year-old colt raced about 4l off the leader early on and started to make a move around the far turn of the 1600-metre race. The inexperienced colt had to survive a bump in the stretch by runner-up Tango Tango Tango (USA) (Tourist {USA}) but had plenty left to pull away in the final 200 metres to win by 2.75l while Tango Tango Tango kept second by a nose over Ginsburned (USA) (Noble Mission {GB}).
Point Me By is out of a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Life In Shambles (USA) (Broken Vow {USA}) and the dam of Grade 3-placed No Mo Lady (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}).
Exceed And Excel’s Sacred wins Hungerford
It was a second Group 2 victory for Sacred (GB) (Exceed And Excel) on Saturday when the 3-year-old Cheveley Park Stud homebred won the G2 BetVictory Hungerford S. at Newbury.
Tom Marquand kept the filly toward the rear of the field for much of the 1400-metre race before letting her make a move with less than 400 metres to go. Marquand didn’t ask for the filly to make a serious challenge until they entered the final 200 metres and she comfortably took command before pulling away to win by 1l over Laneqash (GB) (Cable Bay {Ire}) with Njord (Ire) (Roderic O’Connor {Ire}) the highest placing older horse when third.
Sacred is out of a Blame (USA) half-sister to US Champion Turf Mare Lady Eli (USA) (Divine Park {USA}) and multiple Graded stakes winner Bizzy Caroline (USA) (Afleet Alex {USA}) in addition to American Pharoah’s (USA) Grade 3-placed Princess Caroline (USA).
Dubai Honour wins Prix Guillaume d’Ornano
Dubai Honour (Ire) became the newest Group winner for Pride Of Dubai in the G2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano - Haras du Logis Saint-Germain at Deauville over 2000 metres.
After spending 1400 metres near the rear, Maxime Guyon asked Dubai Honour to pick up with a little over 600 metres left to run. He let his mount do his own work for another 200 metres before asking him to go through a gap inside the final 400 metres with the lead in his possession soon after. The 3-year-old was never seriously bothered as he pulled away to win by 1.75l over Pretty Tiger (Ire) (Sea The Moon {Ger}) with Tasman Bay (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) another 0.25l back in third.
Dubai Honour is out of a half-sister to Group 3 winner Last Kingdom (USA) (Frankel {GB}), who raced in Europe and Hong Kong before coming to Australia in July 2020. That runner had a brief career in Australia before retiring to Kooringal Stud in New South Wales for the 2021 breeding season.
High Oak earns debut stakes victory in Saratoga Special
High Oak (USA) (Gormley {USA}) continued what has been a successful summer for freshman sires when giving Gormley (USA) a G2 Saratoga Special winner with a 4.25l victory at the Spa.
The prestigious 1300-metre race saw the pace set by a pair of duelers as High Oak stalked behind. Entering the stretch three-wide, High Oak took over the lead to pull away by 4.25l with pacesetter Gunite (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}) in second and Nakatomi (USA) (Firing Line {USA}) in third.
"He broke great so I wasn't hustling to get there, but I wasn't going to slow him down either,” jockey Junior Alvarado said. “He was going in a good rhythm for my horse. I know they were going fast but my horse was in a nice rhythm and he wasn't going as fast as he can go. He was pretty happy there. He finished up strong and galloped out great.”
High Oak’s dam is a half-sister the dam of G1 Breeders’ Cup filly and mare turf winner Shared Account (USA) (Pleasantly Perfect {USA}). In addition to producing G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies' Turf winner Sharing (USA) (Speightstown {USA}), Shared Account is also the dam of I’m Pretty Strong (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}). I’m Pretty Strong was imported to Australia in 2019 and she had a Dundeel (NZ) filly last year before returning to Capitalist.
