England
Almeraq impressive in G1 Haydock Sprint Cup
By Tom Frary, TDN Europe
Bouncing back from a forgettable effort in the July Cup, Shadwell's Almeraq (Dark Angel) turned Haydock's G1 Betfair Sprint Cup into a procession with soft ground to suit on Saturday. Australia's Joliestar (Zoustar) was third to him in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Always travelling with supreme ease as Tom Marquand had the anchor down throughout the early stages, he cut through the pack with minimal urging and brushed aside Paborus (Recoletos) approaching the furlong pole. From there, it was only a case of how far as the 9-4 favourite opened up and at the death it was 4.25 lengths without telling the whole story, with Paborus in turn 4.75 lengths ahead of last year's winner Big Mojo (Mohaather) in third.
“That was pretty impressive stuff,” Marquand said of the William Haggas-trained 4-year-old, whose fall at York last year ended the career of Jim Crowley. “The ground let him down at Newmarket and he's a hugely exciting horse. The plan was to ride him conservatively and I actually shut him down for another half furlong when I got to Danny (Tudhope on Paborus), because he just stepped up so easily. On the faster ground, he just takes that little bit of time to get going, whereas on the slow ground he's straight up into it.”
The trainer was looking on at Ascot. “He looked very good,” he said. “I thought it (the ground) would make a big difference and he clearly looked to enjoy it. He travelled easily and he's a good horse. Now he's got his conditions and its onwards to Ascot.”
This represented a third win in the feature for the operation after Dayjur and Minzaal and the lightly raced homebred belongs in that bracket after this season's exploits. Maureen Haggas was left to marvel at the winner's recovery from that well-documented tumble which cut short his 3-year-old campaign and ultimately brought a premature close to the career of the owner-breeders' number one rider. “It's extraordinary really – it was a horrific fall at York last year and it took him a long time to get over it.”
“It's extraordinary really – it was a horrific fall at York last year and it took him a long time to get over it.” - Maureen Haggas
“It takes a massive team effort to get these horses to win races like this and while obviously they have to have the talent to be able to do it, they need everyone's help along the way to get here. We're really grateful to everybody for doing their bit. It's great for Shadwell as well too.”
“Today was pretty unbelievable,” she added. “He does like the ground and he's got big old feet on him. I thought what he did at Royal Ascot was pretty phenomenal on ground he doesn't really enjoy. In the July Cup, fast ground and going downhill was never really going to be his bag but when you've won at Ascot where do you go?”
Pedigree: Almeraq is the first foal out the unraced Manaajim (Muhaarar), a half-sister to the Cheveley Park Stakes, Flying Five and Lowther Stakes winner Fairyland (Kodiac) and the dual Group winner and Irish 1000 Guineas third Now Or Never (Bushranger). From the family of Diktat's multiple Group 1-winning dual champion and sire Dream Ahead, her 3-year-old filly Albaydaa (Pinatubo) is a useful handicapper for this stable while she also has the unraced 2-year-old colt El Asjadi (Night Of Thunder), a yearling filly by Blue Point and a filly foal by Dubawi.
America
Summer Starlet wins the G1 Spinaway Stakes
By Steve Sherack, TDN
Summer Starlet (City Of Light) backed up her flashy debut victory with another head-turning performance in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' G1 Spinaway Stakes for juvenile fillies at Saratoga.
The unbeaten 'TDN Rising Star,' campaigned in partnership by John Bellinger and Brian Coelho's BC Stables, Wattswood Stables, Bob Albritton, Jay Graham and David Baggett, had 4.75 lengths to spare over previously unbeaten Schuylerville Stakes winner Harper's Corner (Speaker's Corner). It was another 7.25 lengths back to Angel of Kirk (Yaupon) in third.
“Ricardo (Santana, Jr.) gave her a beautiful trip,” winning Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen said. “Obviously, her debut race showed a tremendous amount of ability. She's done extremely well since. She was away from there great and she was in hand in a very comfortable position for him. And it went perfectly.
“She's (Summer Starlet) done extremely well since. She was away from there great and she was in hand in a very comfortable position for him. And it went perfectly.” - Steve Asmussen
“I'm unbelievably comfortable with who she is, and I don't think her (distance) window is small. And who she is physically, I think time will fill out that beautiful frame of hers.”
Summer Starlet was an eye-catching, come-from-behind debut winner at 15-1 in her unveiling at Saratoga August 8, good for a very strong 87 Beyer Speed Figure. Both of her victories have come around one turn.
“Nice spacing back to this, and obviously we are hoping to come out of it in good shape and proceed to the Breeders' Cup,” Asmussen said. The G1 Darley Alcibiades on October 2 at Keeneland could be next, per Asmussen.
Pedigree: Summer Starlet, a US$335,000 (AU$465,000) Keeneland September yearling, becomes the third Grade 1 winner for young sire City of Light. He is now responsible for seven Graded and 21 stakes winners.
Summer Starlet's dam Act Now (Street Sense), a debut winning homebred for Colts Neck Stables, brought US$610,000 (AU$847,000) from Avenue Bloodstock carrying the Spinaway winner at the 2023 Keeneland November sale. She is also responsible for Graded-placed Coach Prime (Quality Road); stakes-placed Dr Oseran (Kitten's Joy); and a Practical Joke filly of this year. She was bred back to the latter stallion for 2027.
There is depth farther down the page, as her stakes-winning third dam - a half-sister to champion Grade 1 winner Minardi and to the excellent Tale Of The Cat–produced Graded winner and Grade 1-placed Fed Biz (Giant's Causeway) and Listed winner Spun Silk (A.P. Indy), the dam of Grade 1 winner Joking (Distorted Humor).
Debutante Stakes goes to Miss Monica in a romp
By Steve Sherack, TDN
Miss Monica (Early Voting) became the first stakes winner for her freshman sire with a runaway 6.25-length victory in Saturday evening's G1 Del Mar Debutante. She becomes the 13th Del Mar Debutante winner for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert.
The 2-5 favourite, a head-turning wire-to-wire winner with an 87 Beyer Speed Figure on debut at Del Mar August 9, showed a different dimension here and pressed from an outside third through an opening quarter in 0:21.96. She revved up three deep on the far turn, hit the front approaching the quarter pole and ran up the score to win by daylight. Crazy Hot Mess (Pinehurst) was second; Holmby (Corniche) was third.
“We had a great post and she was able to put herself into a good spot,” Baffert said. “J.J. Hernandez rode her with a lot of confidence. We know going seven-eighths is demanding, but at the three-eighths pole you could tell she was cruising and she went to the lead on her own. She's that good of a filly. I'm always happy to win this race especially for the Three Amigos'–Pegram, Watson, and Weitman. I'm relieved. I knew she was going to win, but crazy things happen.”
“We had a great post and she (Miss Monica) was able to put herself into a good spot.” - Bob Baffert
Pedigree: Miss Monica brought US$850,000 (AU$1.2 million) from the 'Three Amigos'–Michael Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman–as an OBS April breezer. Miss Monica's dam Lipstikliesnlovers (American Pharoah), a maiden of seven career starts, brought just US$4000 (AU$5560) from Michael Slezak, agent, at this year's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky February sale. She was bred to Drain The Clock for 2027.
Japan
Flightline gains first Group winner
by Heather Anderson & Alan Carasso, TDN
The third winner for his freshman sire earlier this year, Shonan Galleon (Jpn) (Flightline) ran out a dominating six-length victor of the 1800-metre G3 Sapporo Nisai Stakes on Saturday to tick another box on his sire's resume. The two-for-two colt became the second stakes scorer and first at Group/Graded level worldwide for the former US Horse of the Year and Lane's End resident (by Tapit).
The colt, who set a record for juveniles over this trip of firm Hakodate turf in 1:47.60 when breaking his maiden in July, went off at 10 cents on the dollar on Saturday.
“I thought I could win if things went smoothly, so I was focused only on that,” winning jockey Katsuma Sameshima told NetKeiba. “As soon as I settled in second place at the first and second corners, I thought I wouldn't lose. His performance in ths first race was outstanding and his workouts last week and this week were also good.
“I've said since the maiden race that he can become a start and seeing his performance today, I really look forward to his future.”
“I've said since the maiden race that he (Shonan Galleon) can become a start and seeing his performance today, I really look forward to his future.” - Katsuma Sameshima
Winning trainer Shizuya Kato was non-committal on a next start, but hinted that Shonan Galleon might be done for the season, with an eye on 2027.
“I have a plan for the future, but I'll send him to the farm and decide depending on his condition,” he told NetKeiba.
Pedigree: Flightline, who retired unbeaten in six starts from six to 10 furlongs, has five winners so far. His first stakes winner is the Listed Bolton Landing Stakes heroine Go For Launch, who won at Saratoga.
Shonan Galleon's dam Tan Gritona (Arg) (Full Mast), a champion juvenile and two-time winner at the top table in her native Argentina, was acquired privately by Northern Farm and exported to the USA, where she was among the first book of mares bred to Flightline in 2023. A February 13 produce, Shonan Galleon found himself in the weanling section of the 2024 JRHA Select Sale and was hammered down to this owner for ¥210 million (AU$1.8 million).
Shonan Galleon is bred very similarly to Flightline's first-crop winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Flight Command, whose granddam Stonetastic is a daughter of Mizzen Mast, also the sire of Full Mast. Flight Command is entered for Sunday's G1 Spendthrift Farm Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga. Tan Gritona is also represented by a yearling Kizuna (Jpn) filly and the mare's latest offspring is a colt by Epiphaneia (Jpn) foaled on April 20.
