Adelaide Strikes in Secretariat
By Claire Novak,
Belmont Derby (gr. IT) runner-up Adelaide charged down the center of the turf course at Arlington International Racecourse and edged away to a determined victory in the $500,000 Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) Aug. 16 as the even-money favorite (VIDEO).
Racing for trainer Aidan O'Brien and ridden by Ryan Moore, the 3-year-old son of Galileo completed the 1 1/4-mile turf test in 2:02.31 when he cleared tiring pacesetter Tourist in the final strides by 1 1/2 lengths.
"He's the best horse in the race going into it, just thought we would keep it simple," Moore said. "The horse on the lead was getting a bit of a soft hand, so didn't want to move up to early. Adelaide just had more class than the field and got the job done. He's run in France, Ireland, England, America, and America again."
Third behind opening fractions of :24.97 and :48.93, Adelaide steadily gathered momentum nearing upper stretch after three-quarters went in 1:13.54. Closing the gap on the pacesetter in tandem with General Jack, he wrested the advantage leaving the furlong marker and, after getting a mile in 1:37.94, continued under vigorous urging in the final stages to prove best.
The winner returned $4.20, $2.60, and $2.20. Tourist was worth $3.40 and $2.60, while third-place finisher Sheldon paid $3.60. Global View, Highball, Divine Oath, and General Jack completed the order of finish. Belisarious and Can'thelpbelieving scratched.
Jockey Joel Rosario said Tourist, making his first start at the distance and his graded stakes debut after taking the July 18 Sir Cat Stakes at Saratoga Race Course, had good courage in second when seeing a three-race win streak snapped.
"He ran well," Rosario said. "I had to move a little early and the horse that won the race (Adelaide) was there with me and he got me. It was his (Tourist's) first time going a mile and a quarter and he did well. I'd love to ride him back, for sure."
Adelaide, bred in Ireland out of the Elnadim mare Elletelle, races for Coolmore and partners and collected his third career victory from six starts. In those six starts, he has never been worse than second.
Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/86810/adelaide-strikes-in-secretariat#ixzz3AbYLK6Xl
Euro Charline, a stakes winner at Ascot three weeks ago, soared through the stretch under a well-timed ride by Ryan Moore to upset the $750,000 Beverly D. Stakes (gr. IT) in her U.S. debut Aug. 16 at Arlington International Racecourse (VIDEO).
It was the first graded or group victory for the 3-year-old British-bred daughter of Myboycharlie. The 10-1 shot races for Barry Irwin's Team Valor International and is trained by Marco Botti.
Moore had a clear path through the lane as Euro Charline took command in deep stretch. She held off the late charge of favored Stephanie's Kitten, who had to weave through traffic in the drive, to win by about three-quarters of a length. Just the Judge, another first-time U.S. starter, finished third, a neck farther back in the field of 11 fillies and mares.
"She traveled real sweet and kicked on nicely like a good filly would," Moore said after scoring his second grade I win on the card following Adelaide in the Secretariat Stakes a race earlier.
"It's been a good day, not so bad so far," Moore understated.
"Haven't stopped shaking yet, I knew she was going to have a good run," Botti said.
Euro Charline was timed in 1:55.52 for 1 3/16 miles over firm turf. She is the first 3-year-old to win the Beverly D., inaugurated in 1987, and benefited from a six-pound weight break over the remainder of the field.
The race was a Breeders' Cup challenge event, guaranteeing the connections for Euro Charline an expenses-paid starting berth in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT) at Santa Anita Park this fall.
Bred by Brian Liversage out of the Common Grounds mare Eurolink Artemis, the winning bay filly sold for $21,901 to Sc Blueberry at the 2012 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale when consigned by Old Buckenham Stud, and was acquired privately by Team Valor.
Irwin said Euro Charline would remain in the states with trainer Todd Pletcher.
"(Botti) talked me into running here. He's been bugging me a month, and I finally gave in," Irwin said. "He thought she'd get the trip, but I wasn't sure because three-year-olds normally don't do as well in this race, and this filly is nuts. What really convinced me was getting a direct flight here."
Winner of a minor stakes July 25 at Ascot, she actually tipped her ability in the prior start when she finished third in the one-mile Coronation Stakes (Eng-I) June 20 during the Royal Ascot meet, just three-quarters of length behind highly regarded Rizeena.
Guided to the rail by Moore in the early stages of the Beverly D., Euro Charline was rated lightly in midpack and was patiently handled into the final turn when given her cue while angling off the inside. La Tia sprinted to the early lead over I'm Already Sexy and Just the Judge, then slowed the tempo while unfurling quarter mile fractions of :24.44, :49.90, and 1:13.56.
La Tia opened up a 2 1/2-length lead in the lane as I'm Already Sexy retreated after a mile in 1:37.73. Euro Charline, five wide in upper stretch, reached contention at the furlong marker and drove past La Tia in the closing stages while holding Stephanie's Kitten safe to the wire.
Stephanie's Kitten, who trailed the field for Franke Dettori while saving some ground for six furlongs, produced her usual big finish while splitting horses and edged Just the Judge and Jamie Spencer for second.
Dettori was irritated by his trip on Stephanie's Kitten.
"She was slow at the beginning. She walked out, I couldn't keep my position, then I'm screwed, then I'm in jail without a key," he complained. "And I weaved my way through, but the winner got a dream run for free on me and it's over. Bye bye. I warmed her up good, but age is telling now and the young ones are more spring chickens."
La Tia was half a length farther back in fourth, followed by Diana (gr. IT) winner Somali Lemonade, I'm Already Sexy, Street of Gold, Sparkling Beam, Emollient, Tannery, and 3-1 second choice Alterite.
Lightly raced Euro Charline won for the fourth time in seven starts and extended her career earnings to $591,792. The Beverly D. victory was worth $427,500.
Sent off as the sixth choice in the well-matched field, Euro Charline paid $23.60, $10.60, and $3.20. Ken and Sarah Ramsey's grade I winner Stephanie's Kitten, still winless in 2014, returned $4.40 and $3.20, and was part of a $131.40 exacta. Just the Judge, coming off a third-place finishing the Newbridge Pretty Polly Stakes (Ire-I) June 29 at the Curragh for trainer Charlie Hills, paid $5.80 to show.
Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/86813/euro-charline-charges-to-beverly-d-triumph#ixzz3AbZ8PUb8
Hardest Core Upsets Arlington Million
By Claire Novak,
Few knew the story of Hardest Core, who scratched from the $400,000 American St. Leger at Arlington International Racecourse to run in the Arlington Million (gr. IT).
Fewer still knew the story of his owners, the Bentley family, residents of Unionville, Pa. who own a two-horse stable and purchased the runner as a 30th birthday gift for their son, Andrew, who was born with Down Syndrome.
But after the Million, everyone was talking about the modest shipper who came in from victory in a $50,000 ungraded stakes at Delaware Park to win the purse of $1 million (VIDEO) over some of the finest turf runners in the world.
Hardest Core, a 4-year-old Hard Spun gelding ridden by Eriluis Vaz for Andrew Bentley Stables, upset Arlington's biggest day at odds of 11-1 to secure his first graded stakes score, let alone grade I victory. Closing outside from third off the turn with tremendous strides, he gobbled up ground to run down dueling rivals Magician, winner of the 2012 Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT), and Side Glance, a grade I winner in Australia.
It was the first time his trainer had entered a runner in a graded stakes event. Graham, 43, has four steeplechase horses in training and two on the flat—Hardest Core and the other member of the Bentley's 2-horse stable, the 3-year-old filly Giant Shadow.
Prior to the Million, Graham's career earnings as a trainer were $634,675. Including the Million, he has won five of six starts this year. Hardest Core, purchased for $210,000 by Gregory Bentley from the 2013 Keeneland November breeding stock sale when consigned by Adena Springs as a racing or stallion prospect, was initially intended as a potential steeplechaser before his connections decided he might have something left to give on the flat.
"We jumped him a couple times, he's a pure, natural jumper, but we just messed with him, always intentions of flat racing because he was doing so well," Graham said.
Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin for Ghostzapper Racing prior to his sale at Keeneland, Hardest Core was gelded after the November sale and almost lost his life.
"He had a hernia up high and when they cut it, his intestines came out," said Graham. "We had to cut 15-18 feet (of his intestines), we didn't think he was going to make it. We finally got him up to New Bolton and two days later, he was in his feed tub again. He's tough."
Hardest Core then won a June 28 allowance event going 1 1/16 miles on the Parx Racing turf for his new connections before winning the Cape Henlopen Stakes at 1 1/2 miles on the Delaware lawn. The Million was his third start of 2014.
Magician, favored to win the Million for trainer Aidan O'Brien at 1.80-1in a field of seven, pressed a pace set by Side Glance throughout the 1 1/4-mile turf test. Early fractions went in :25, :49.45, and 1:13.67 as those two were tracked by Hardest Core.
Swinging into contention coming off the far turn as mile went in 1:37.72, the eventual winner lost ground slightly while drifting out to the six path, but he found his best stride late and rallied to victory by a length.
Final time was 2:01.51 on a firm course. Hardest Core returned $25, $10.40, and $6 while Magician paid $4.20 and $3 with Side Glance bringing $5. Up With the Birds, Finnegans Wake, Smoking Sun, and Real Solution, ajudged winner of the 2013 Arlington Million, completed the order of finish.
"I thought a shorter field would be better, and the horse was training so well," said Graham. "He doesn't know what he's going against, and he showed it today."
Bred in Kentucky by Mueller Farms out of the Housebuster mare Lillybuster, Hardest Core improved his record to six wins and two seconds from 11 starts for earnings of $842,580. He sold to Adena Springs as an $87,000 yearling in 2011 at the Fasig-Tipton October sale after failing to meet his reserve for the Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services consignment at the Keeneland January and Keeneland September sales.
Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/86815/hardest-core-upsets-arlington-million#ixzz3AbZuTeD4
