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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 favor 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 (Karakontie {Jpn}) to California for the American Oaks, another chance at age-restricted Grade I glory while putting loftier objectives on the back-burner, until this time next year, for example. The $240,000 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.

Off as the 3-5 jolly, the $240,000 Keeneland September yearling broke cleanly, but she clearly attempted to hurdle the lip of the dirt crossing and tugged fiercely against John Velazquez from an early midfield berth to be fourth in the slipstream of 58-1 Valence (Violence) as they reached the first turn. Velazquez edged out one path to his right and raced three deep and punching the breeze with fully six furlongs to travel, and the rider had two fists full of rein as he did his level best to get the strapping filly to settle down the back.

Left in a bit of a tricky spot when Frankie Dettori went for an early move astride Kathynmarissa (American Pharoah) with less than a half-mile to race, She Feels Pretty was deftly steered off that one's heels and four wide into the clear midway on the second bend. When Velazquez finally acquiesced and finally allowed She Feels Pretty to have her head nearing the quarter pole, the response was both immediate and devastating, as she sprinted her final two furlongs in a very slick :22.63 to win by a comfortable margin. Medoro (Honor Code) finished a distant third to round out a trifecta that returned less than 13-1.

“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.”

The result was considerably more satisfying for team She Feels Pretty than her last trip to the Great Race Place, when the GI Natalma Stakes heroine just failed to overcome a horror draw when third, beaten a half-length, in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf nearly 14 months ago.

Highly impressive in annexing the May 17 Hilltop Stakes on seasonal return, she was narrowly defeated by the classy Cinderella's Dream (GB) (Shamardal) 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 GII Lake Placid Stakes at Saratoga Aug. 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.

Pedigree Notes:

Along with 2022 Del Mar Oaks victress Spendarella, 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, a $550,000 purchase by Payson Stud as an early 2-year-old at Keeneland January in 2016, is a daughter of French listed winner Summer Solstice, the dam of SW Summer Breezing (Langfuhr), SW & GSP Adirondack Summer (Thunder Gulch) and Belmont Oaks third Summer Solo (Arch), herself responsible for GSW Solo Album (Curlin) and SW & GSP Maedean (Tapit).

Summer Sweet is also the dam of the 2-year-old colt Summer Vibes (Good Magic), who fetched $600,000 from Boardshorts Stables at the 2023 KEESEP 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 (American Pharoah), was hammered down to Lael for $650,000 at Keeneland this past September, and She Feels Pretty's year-older half-sister Lakeside Music (Super Saver) was acquired by Whisper Hill Farm for $400,000 in foal to Munnings at KEENOV last month. Summer Sweet claims a weanling filly by Olympiad and was most recently covered by Justify.

“SHE FEELS PRETTY is absolutely gorgeous!” – @FrankMirahmadi@reredevaux trains the filly by Karakontie (JPN) (@Gainesway) who took the $300,000 American Oaks (G1) at @SantaAnitaPark. @ljlmvel was on board. pic.twitter.com/3rYoIA2qlC

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 27, 2024

The post She Feels Pretty A Towering Winner of the American Oaks appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Trying nine furlongs for just the second time in his career and looking to protect a perfect mark over the Santa Anita turf course, Cuyathy LLC's Johannes (Nyquist) was given a supremely confident steer by Umberto Rispoli and was really only asked to finish up to post a soft victory in Thursday's GII San Gabriel Stakes.

Crunched into long odds-on favoritism to improve on his hard-nosed runner-up effort behind More Than Looks (More Than Ready) in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile down at Del Mar on Nov. 2, the homebred raced in close attendance to whatever pace was on as Cabo Spirit (Pioneerof the Nile) ambled them along through the early exchanges beneath Frankie Dettori. Johannes enjoyed the run of the race from just in behind, but was hemmed in along the rail for the trip around the second turn and was held together by a very patient Rispoli nearing the stretch.

Eased out into the four-wide line, Johannes came with his typically strong finish to easily account for last-out GII Seabiscuit Handicap hero Mi Hermano Ramon (Creative Cause), fortifying his bid for an Eclipse Award next month. Seal Team (GB) (War Front), three wide the majority of the trip, held for third.

Johannes is likely to make his next appearance in the GI Pegasus World Cup Turf at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 25.

“We originally thought about giving the horse a breather,” said winning trainer Tim Yakteen. “He had such a strong campaign and he came out of the Breeders' Cup so well. Everything was near perfect in his last outing, so we came to the San Gabriel and now we will head to the Pegasus. In my heart, he is a true champion. I hope others view it that way.”

Added Rispoli, “You know, with a horse like him, it's not possible to panic. You press the button and in three strides, you're right up there. You just have to manage how to get the wire because once you get the lead, you try to wait for other horses. But, you know, you never panic with him. Once you see the daylight, he goes. It doesn't matter.”

Winner of three of his first four starts on the grass, Johannes returned from an 11-month absence to take out this track's GIII American Stakes going a mile Apr. 4 before breaking through for a maiden Grade I in the May 27 Shoemaker Mile Stakes. The dark bay tried this distance for the first time in the GII Eddie Read Stakes July 28, easily defeating Dicey Mo Chara (GB) (Adaay {Ire}), and was a comfortable winner of the local GII City of Hope Mile Stakes Sept. 28. The 22-5 second choice in the Mile, he came with a run from midpack to loom a threat in the final furlong, only to be outfinished by a flying More Than Looks.

Pedigree Notes:

In the name of their Cuyathy, Joe and Debby McCloskey purchased Johannes's dam for $50,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November Sale and raced her to three wins from 20 tries and a third placing in the Kalookan Queen Stakes in 2018. Johannes is the first foal from the mare, who is also responsible for Sea Dancer, recent winner of the Carousel Stakes at Laurel Park, and the juvenile filly Sea Runner (Gun Runner), third in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf at Del Mar Sept. 7 and fourth in the GIII Jimmy Durante Stakes at Del Mar at the end of November. A half-sister to the multiple graded-placed Join in the Dance (Sky Mesa), Cuyathy is the dam of a yearling filly by Knicks Go named Soaring Angel, missed to Mandaloun for 2024 and is due to Maxfield for her 2025 foal.

“It's JOHANNES ($2.60) taking care of business!” – @FrankMirahmadi

The Nyquist (@DarleyAmerica) colt won the $200,000 San Gabriel Stakes (G2) at @santaanitapark under @umbyrispoli for trainer @timyakteen.

MYSTIK DAN is up next: https://t.co/5VcRa4VxbO pic.twitter.com/RDNNprKuRb

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 26, 2024

Thursday, Santa Anita
SAN GABRIEL S.-GII, $202,000, Santa Anita, 12-26, 3yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:46.50, fm.
1–JOHANNES, 125, c, 4, by Nyquist
                1st Dam: Cuyathy (SP, $107,923), by Congrats
                2nd Dam: Dance Darling, by Devil's Bag
                3rd Dam: Danzig Darling, by Danzig
O/B-Cuyathy, Llc (KY); T-Tim Yakteen; J-Umberto Rispoli.
$120,000. Lifetime Record: GISW, 13-8-1-1, $1,153,859.
*1/2 to Sea Dancer (Mastery), SW, $199,095. Werk Nick
Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Mi Hermano Ramon, 125, g, 4, Creative Cause–Sassy
Suances, by Suances (GB). O-Rancho Temescal Thoroughbred
Partners and Red Baron's Barn LLC; B-Red Baron's Barn (KY);
T-Mark Glatt. $40,000.
3–Seal Team (GB), 121, c, 4, War Front–Mrs McDougal,
by Medaglia d'Oro. O-Perry R. Bass II and Ramona S. Bass;
B-Bass Stables, LLC (GB); T-Richard E. Mandella. $24,000.
Margins: 3/4, 3/4, 3/4. Odds: 0.30, 9.70, 6.90.
Also Ran: Easter (Fr), Dicey Mo Chara (GB), Cabo Spirit, Astronomer, Nineeleventurbo, Escape Artist.
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post Johannes Far Too Classy in the San Gabriel appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Longshot J B Strikes Back (Goldencents) upset the inaugural running of the GII Laffit Pincay, Jr. Stakes (previously run as the San Antonio Stakes) Thursday in his first try facing stakes company for trainer Doug O'Neill.

The 3-year-old gelding, understandably one of the least experienced runners in the field and the second longest wagering price, broke his maiden in his third start in a $20,000 claimer at Del Mar and was claimed out of that start from these same connections who promptly bought him right back in a $25,000 conditioned claimer when he was sixth in his very next start. Off the board in his next two tries over both dirt and turf, J B Strikes Back jumped up to put up a big number in an optional claimer going one mile at Del Mar Nov. 3 and responded with yet another win facing similar company at the same distance Nov. 23.

Guided from an inside draw with Antonio Fresu taking over from Juan Hernandez, J B Strikes Back was briefly outrun as the field passed the wire for the first time but quickly got himself into stride to contend for the lead outside of Ashcroft (Munnings) around the first turn and into the backstretch. Still two wide and joined by Tarantino (Pioneerof the Nile) to his outside nearing the half-mile pole, J B Strikes Back took advantage of Ashcroft fading along the rail to shoot ahead and turned for home with both Tarantino and Express Train (Union Rags) looming. But with a safe margin built up, the 16-1 chance turned the tables on the older horses and came home clear with only 20-1 shot American Admiral (American Pharoah) making up ground on him late and just missing for the placing.

“It's such an honor to win this race,” said O'Neil. “My mom Dixie was really good friends with Laffit Pincay Jr.'s mom and we are really good friends with his brother Alonso, so the Pincay family really means a lot to us. He still looks like he can still ride today, it's amazing and a huge honor. Janie Buss and the whole Buss family they are so generous. She donates all of the earnings of any of her beautiful horses that make any money to different causes. This is really to her because she wanted to take a chance after his last couple of efforts. We took a chance, and it worked out perfect.”

Fresu added: “My trip was great, amazing it was what we had planned. What about this training performance by Doug (O'Neill)? This horse he kept improving and now he is in graded stakes, that was amazing. I feel very excited to see where he goes next. Today, what I was thinking was if the track was fast, to get a nice trip out in front, or be pretty close. I thought the horse had a good chance. He proved to us his ability.”

Pedigree Notes:

J B Strikes Back is now the second graded stakes winner under stakes-winning first dam Allanah, joining his talented older half-brother Reincarnate (Good Magic) who took the GIII Sham Stakes and also placed in the GI Arkansas Derby, the GI FanDuel Racing Pacific Classic Stakes and the GI Santa Anita Handicap. Allanah, who last went under the hammer for $105,000 at Keeneland November in 2018, is a half to MGSP Over Emphasize (Overanalyze) and this is the family of two-time Peruvian champion grass horse Zeide Isaac (Freud). J B Strikes Back, the eighth graded stakes winner for Goldencents, has an un-raced 2-year-old half-brother by Liam's Map and a weanling half-sister by Good Magic while Allanah went to Life Is Good for 2025.

J B STRIKES BACK ($34.80) struck back big in the $200,000 Laffit Pincay Jr. Stakes (G2) at @santaanitapark. The gelding by Goldencents (@spendthriftfarm) is trained by @DougONeill1, @Antonio1Fresu was up!

Bet the Late Pick 5: https://t.co/hp9pmwASiJ pic.twitter.com/LMTFG1k5YR

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 26, 2024

Thursday, Santa Anita
LAFFIT PINCAY, JR. S.-GII, $201,500, Santa Anita, 12-26, 3yo/up, 1 1/16m, 1:43.80, ft.
1–J B STRIKES BACK, 119, g, 3, by Goldencents
                1st Dam: Allanah (SW), by Scat Daddy
                2nd Dam: Star in the Corner, by Holy Bull
                3rd Dam: Stubborn Star, by Star Choice
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($80,000 Ylg
'22 KEESEP; $52,000 2yo '23 OBSMAR). O-Purple Rein Racing;
B-Woods Edge Farm, LLC (KY); T-Doug F. O'Neill; J-Antonio
Fresu. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 9-4-0-0, $191,660.
*1/2 to Reincarnate (Good Magic), GSW & MGISP, $727,900.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Tarantino, 121, g, 6, Pioneerof the Nile–Without Delay,
by Seeking the Gold. ($610,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP; $240,000 RNA
2yo '20 KEENOV; $235,000 3yo '21 KEENOV). O-David A.
Bernsen LLC and Rockingham Ranch; B-Fred W. Hertrich III &
John D. Fielding (KY); T-Peter Eurton. $40,000.
3–American Admiral, 121, g, 6, American Pharoah–Escampette,
by Smart Strike. 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($340,000 Wlg '18
KEENOV; $1,300,000 Ylg '19 KEESEP). O-Donnie Crevier;
B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY); T-Tim Yakteen. $24,000.
Margins: 1 1/4, NO, 1 3/4. Odds: 16.40, 3.50, 20.50.
Also Ran: Express Train, Ashcroft, Katonah, Goldeneye, Lammas (GB).
Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

The post J B Strikes Back Upsets Inaugural Laffit Pincay, Jr. Stakes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Windy Walk, the longest shot in the five-horse field, upset her more-fancied Grade I-winning foes with a wire-to-wire victory in the Rampart Stakes Thursday at Gulfstream Park. The chestnut filly was quickly at the head of affairs and was under a snug hold while setting a dawdling opening quarter of :25.82 as GI Alabama Stakes winner and 5-2 second choice Power Squeeze and GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint winner and 2-5 favorite Soul of an Angel were second last and last, respectively. Power Squeeze rolled up three wide on the far turn and looked ready to take the lead into the stretch, but Windy Walk kicked away again. Power Squeeze was coming back at her late and Soul of Angel, who had tipped to the center of the track while still last at the top of the lane, was closing rapidly, but the longshot held on gamely to the wire.

Windy Wind had plied her trade mostly in the claiming ranks in her previous 13 lifetime starts. The chestnut filly broke her maiden versus $20,000 maiden claimers at Keeneland in April and was a well beaten sixth in her only other stakes start to date in the July 12 Wilton Stakes at Saratoga. She came into the Rampart off three straight starter allowance wins: at Churchill Sept. 29, Keeneland Oct. 26 and Churchill Nov. 20. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

RAMPART S., $125,000, Gulfstream, 12-26, 3yo/up, f/m, 1m, 1:38.01, ft.
1–WINDY WALK, 118, f, 3, Munnings–Missalaney (MSP), by
   Badge of Silver. ($90,000 RNA Ylg '22 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK
   TYPE WIN. O/B-Richard Perkins (KY); T-Christopher Davis;
J-Tyler Gaffalione. $77,500. Lifetime Record: 14-7-0-1,
$321,102.
2–Power Squeeze, 122, f, 3, Union Rags–Callmethesqueeze, by
Awesome Again. ($50,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $90,000 2yo '23
OBSAPR). O-Lea Farms, LLC; B-Forging Oaks LLC (KY); T-Jorge
Delgado. $25,000.
3–Soul of an Angel, 125, m, 5, Atreides–Factor One, by The
Factor. ($3,000 RNA Ylg '20 FTKOCT). O-C2 Racing Stable LLC,
Agave Racing Stable & Ken T Reimer; B-Westbrook Stables LLC
(KY); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr. $12,500.
Margins: NK, HD, 3 1/4. Odds: 14.10, 2.60, 0.40.
Also Ran: Dazzling Move, Charlie's Wish. Scratched: Intrepid Daydream, Save Time, Unsolved Mystery.

#3 WINDY WALK ($30.20) goes gate-to-wire in the $140,000 Rampart Stakes at Gulfstream Park holding off the classy #2 Power Squeeze and @breederscup winner #8 Soul of An Angel. The daughter of Munnings was ridden by @Tyler_Gaff and is trained by Chris Davis. pic.twitter.com/pF1uUIity1

— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) December 26, 2024

The post Munnings’ Windy Walk Upsets the Rampart appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

The New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) will hold its annual stallion season auction from Friday, Jan. 3 through Tuesday, Jan. 7. The event will be hosted online at Thoroughlybred.com.

The auction has routinely attracted donated seasons from farms in the Empire State and Kentucky, including McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, Sequel New York, Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions, Rockridge Stud, Spendthrift Farm, Darley America, Darby Dan Farm and additional farms.

The annual auction raises funds that allow the NYTB to carry on its two-fold mission of promoting New York breeding and racing and protecting the welfare of industry stakeholders.

“Each year, the proceeds from our stallion season auction support NYTB and the interests of our members and breeders who participate in the New York-bred program,” said New York Thoroughbred Breeders Executive Director Najja Thompson. “The auction offers breeders a diverse selection of stallions based in New York, Kentucky, and additional states for breeders to appropriately match their mares.”

Participants must register with Thoroughbredly.com before bidding. All bids will be subject to the rules and conditions of the auction, and each season's conditions will be posted. Click here to register your account with Thoroughlybred.com.

To view the current list of stallions, click here. If interested in donating a season, contact NYTB directly at info@nytbreeders.org or call (518) 587-0777.

The post NYTB Stallion Season Auction Set For Jan. 3-7 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

2nd-Santa Anita, $61,000, Msw, 12-26, 2yo, 6f, 1:09.97, ft, 1/2 length.
MADAKET ROAD (c, 2, Quality Road–Frolic's Dream {GSW, $294,094}, by Smoke Glacken) was runner-up while making his debut in the seven-furlong GIII Bob Hope Stakes at Del Mar Nov. 17. The 4-5 favorite raced just off the heels of a three-way battle for the early lead as the quarter went up in :21.99. Stablemate San Saba (Justify) assumed control around the far turn as Madaket Road fell further off the pace through a half in :44.50. San Saba was struggling to put a stubborn longshot Kokosan (Unified) away down the lane, while Madaket Road was finding his best stride in the center of the track. He powered to the lead in deep stretch and was a half-length in front of the late-closing Father Ted (Practical Joke) at the wire. San Saba was 3 1/2 lengths back in third and Kokosan was fourth. Madaket Road is a half-brother to Wyeth (Candy Ride {Arg}), GSP, $231,498; and to Bode's Dream (Bodemeister), MSW, $202,905. He was a $650,000 FTSAUG yearling. Frolic's Dream, a half-sister to graded winner Mokat (Uncle Mo), has a weanling filly by War Front and was bred back to Quality Road. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV. Lifetime Record: GSP, 2-1-1-0, $56,000.
O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Dianne Bashor, Determined Stables, Robert Masterson, Tom Ryan, Waves Edge Capital LLC & Catherine Donovan; B-SF Bloodstock LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

The post Bob Hope Runner-Up Madaket Road Goes One Better On Opening Day At Santa Anita appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.