By Alan Carasso, TDN America
Cover image courtesy of Eclipse Sportswire/Jon Putman
USA
G1 American Oaks won by She Feels Pretty
A victory in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup can lead even the most disciplined connections to call an audible, deviating from a more conservative approach in favour of a start in a race as alluring as the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf just weeks later.
But trainer Cherie DeVaux and the Lael Stables of Roy and Gretchen stuck to their guns and sent the enormously talented She Feels Pretty (USA) (Karakontie {Jpn}) to California for the American Oaks, another chance at age-restricted Grade I glory while putting loftier objectives on the backburner, until this time next year, for example.
The US$240,000 (AU$386,000) Keeneland September yearling ensured that the team would be sufficiently pleased with the course they elected to chart, as she stormed down the Santa Anita stretch to stamp her authority on the race while touting herself as one to tab closely in the distaff turf division in 2025. She now has five wins from seven starts.
“She got a little keen, broke a little slow and then when she passed the dirt she took like a weird step and then she got up and started running up,” Velazquez said. “I wanted to keep her covered up, she is much better covered up, but today she was really keen. I put her right behind the horse in front of me and I held her the best I could.”
“She (She Feels Pretty) got a little keen, broke a little slow and then when she passed the dirt she took like a weird step and then she got up and started running up.” - John Velazquez
The result was considerably more satisfying for team She Feels Pretty than her last trip to the Great Race Place, when the GI Natalma S. heroine just failed to overcome a horror draw when third, beaten a half-length, in the G2 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf nearly 14 months ago.
Highly impressive in annexing the May 17 Hilltop S. on seasonal return, she was narrowly defeated by the classy Cinderella's Dream (GB) (Shamardal {USA}) in the July 6 GI Belmont Oaks–a race that now roughly occupies the spot on the racing calendar once held by the original iteration of the American Oaks–and was beaten a frustrating neck in the G2 Lake Placid S. at Saratoga on August 17.
Whatever lingering disappointment there may have been was well and truly washed away when She Feels Pretty bolted up by a half-dozen lengths in Lexington 75 days ago and from here, the sky appears to be the limit.
John Velazquez | Image courtesy of Racing Fotos
Along with 2022 Del Mar Oaks victress Spendarella (USA), She Feels Pretty is one of two elite-level scorers for her sire, who caused a 30-1 upset as a 3-year-old in the 2014 GI Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita.
The winner's dam Summer Sweet (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}), a US$550,000 (AU$885,000) purchase by Payson Stud as an early 2-year-old at Keeneland January in 2016, is a daughter of French Listed winner Summer Solstice (Ire) (Caerleon {USA}), the dam of stakes winners Summer Breezing (USA) (Langfuhr {Can}), Adirondack Summer (USA) (Thunder Gulch {USA}) and Belmont Oaks third Summer Solo (USA) (Arch {USA}), herself responsible for Graded winner Solo Album (USA) (Curlin {USA}) and stakes winner Maedean (USA) (Tapit {USA}).
Summer Sweet is also the dam of the 2-year-old colt Summer Vibes (USA) (Good Magic {USA}), who fetched US$600,000 (AU$966,000) from Boardshorts Stables at the 2023 Keeneland September sale two days before She Feels Pretty took the Natalma and is currently in training at Palm Meadows. The current yearling out of Summer Sweet, a filly named She Feels Stunning (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}), was hammered down to Lael for US$650,000 (AU$1.05 million) at Keeneland this past September, and She Feels Pretty's year-older half-sister Lakeside Music (USA) (Super Saver {USA}) was acquired by Whisper Hill Farm for US$400,000 (AU$644,000) in foal to Munnings (USA) at Keeneland November Breeding Sale last month.
Raging Torrent lives up to favourite tag in G1 Malibu Stakes
Firming into favourite in the final few clicks of the tote, Raging Torrent (USA) (Maximus Mischief {USA}) found his best stride well off the inside entering the final eighth of a mile and staved off a late challenge from 2024 GI Santa Anita Derby winner Stronghold (USA) (Ghostzapper {USA}) to win Thursday's GI Malibu S., the traditional opening-day feature at the Great Race Place.
Pilot Commander was first to face the judge, but Dettori and Raging Torrent came to tackle with a furlong and a half to travel and was kept to his task to the wire. Stronghold was beaten a tight length into second, while Imagination (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) lasted inside for third.
“We knew this is a perfect distance, so we were so optimistic,” said trainer Doug O'Neill, winning the Malibu for the first time in his career. “But in this sport, a lot of times you're optimistic and you go home with a flat balloon…but he ran a race that we had dreamed of and just so happy and proud.
“But in this sport, a lot of times you're optimistic and you go home with a flat balloon… but he (Raging Torrent) ran a race that we had dreamed of and just so happy and proud.” - Doug O'Neill
“We really thought going into it, we were the best horse, the best distance. And just watching him day in, day out, he was training out of this world. So, yeah, he ran great.”
Previously the lone Graded winner and now the first top-level winner for his Spendthrift-based son of Into Mischief (USA), Raging Torrent is the lone starter from his dam, Violent Wave (USA) (Violence {USA}), a half-sister to Graded winner The Nth Degree (USA) (Distorted Humor {USA}), who was offered with the colt in utero at the 2021 Keeneland January Sale, but was led out unsold on a bid of US$27,000 (AU$43,400).
Omaha Beach filly wins G1 La Brea Stakes
Spendthrift Farm, forced to scratch Grade 1 winner Tamara (USA) (Bolt D'Oro {USA}) with an elevated temperature on Thursday morning, had a more than suitable understudy in the afternoon's GI La Brea S. when 3-year-old filly Kopion (USA) (Omaha Beach {USA}) romped home a geared-down 2.75l winner at Santa Anita.
Returning from nine months on the sidelines and dismissed at 35-1, the chestnut filly chased pacesetting Sandy Bottom (USA) (Omaha Beach {USA}) through an opening quarter in 22.17s. Kopion easily moved up to engage the pacesetter as the half went up in 44.32s and she grabbed command out of the turn, quickly opening up a 2l advantage. She skipped further clear in upper stretch and sailed under the wire unchallenged.
“We are high as a kite right now,” said Spendthrift's Eric Gustavson. “We had a bunch of friends and family come in for the race. It was such a crazy day because we had Tamara and she scratched. We got the text from Richard this morning, so we were all down. Now this. This is racing. It is great. This is such a big deal. A Grade 1 winner on the dirt for Omaha Beach. All glory to God, we are over the moon.”
Kopion, a first-out winner at Del Mar last November, went wire-to-wire to earn a 5.75l victory in the January 7 G3 Santa Ynez S. She suffered her first loss when second stretched to one mile in the February 10 G3 Las Virgenes S. and had not been out since tiring to a well-beaten fourth in the April 6 G2 Santa Anita Oaks.
“I thought about putting her in the Las Flores, but there is only one Grade I,” said winning trainer Richard Mandella. “She has been getting better and better. I told (jockey) Kaz (Kimura) that she is quick and you don't need to rush her.”
“She (Kopion) has been getting better and better. I told (jockey) Kaz (Kimura) that she is quick and you don't need to rush her.” - Richard Mandella
One of four Graded winners for Spendthrift's Omaha Beach (USA), Kopion is the stallion's second winner at the top level. She follows GI Natalma S. winner And One More Time (USA).
Out of 2016 Outstanding Broodmare in Canada Galloping Ami (Can) (Victory Gallop {Can}), Kopion is a half-sister to that year's Canadian Champion 3-Year-Old Amis Gizmo (Can) (Giant Gizmo {USA}). The mare has a yearling filly by Essential Quality (USA) who RNA'd for US$275,000 (AU$443,000) at this year's Keeneland September sale.
Omaha Beach (USA) | Standing at Spendthrift Farm
Zoustar Group 2 winner gives Plat season record
by Stefanie Grimm, TDN America
Tied no more. After weeks of sharing the top of the leaderboard, Flavien Prat surpassed Jerry Bailey Thursday to become the new record holder for most graded stakes wins in a single season. His landmark 56th came in the G2 Mathis Mile S. aboard King Of Gosford (GB) (Zoustar), a 3-year-old imported from Ireland late last year to the barn of Phillip D'Amato.
“I think there couldn't be a better place to win it than here at Santa Anita,” said Prat of his record. “It is definitely worth all the work when something like this happens.”
A 41st Graded stakes winner for Zoustar, King Of Gosford is out of stakes winner Miss Sugars (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire}) who went through the ring last year at the Tattersalls December Mare Sale for 20,000gns (AU$42,500). From her four foals, three have raced and two have won including King Of Gosford's year older half-sister, Juju (GB) (Kitten's Joy {USA}). This is the family of American Grade 1 winners Wigmore Hall (Ire) (High Chaparral {Ire}) and Ocean Road (Ire) (Australia {GB}) who sold for US$1.625 million (AU$2.6 million) at Fasig-Tipton November in 2022. Miss Sugars last produced a Kameko (USA) filly last year who sold for 32,000gns (AU$68,000) at the Tattersalls December Foal Sale.
