United Arab Emirates
First meeting of the year at Meydan
The first race meet of the year at Meydan Racecourse saw Shahama (USA) (Munnings {USA}) earn ‘TDN Rising Star’ status with a 2.5l win in the UAE 1000 Guineas Trial.
Dealing with traffic through most of the 1400-metre race, Shahama was able to get into the clear with 300 metres left and romped from there to stay undefeated in two starts.
“Seven furlongs is the minimum for her, she's got a big stride,” winning rider Adrie de Vries told Thoroughbred Daily News. “I was never in trouble, I was following William Buick's horse, I was in a pocket, but she learned a lot today. Today she did it the hard way."
The filly is a half-sister to Champion and former shuttle sire Lookin At Lucky (USA) (Smart Strike {USA}) and to multiple Graded stakes winner Kensei (USA) (Mr Greeley {USA}). The filly was bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock, who bought her dam carrying this filly in 2018.
United States
As Time Goes By wins again in La Canada
It was a second-straight victory for the regally bred American Pharoah (USA) daughter As Time Goes By (USA) when she demolished the G3 La Canada S. by a widening 13.5l at Santa Anita.
As Time Goes By let Park Avenue (USA) (Quality Road {USA}) experience what it felt like to be in the lead early on in the 1700 metre race before taking over in the far turn and romping away for her fourth Graded stakes victory. Park Avenue finished a clear second by 4.25l over Moonlight d’Oro (USA) (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}).
“It’s very enjoyable. I didn’t expect such a win that easily. I was hoping she would win, she duly did, and she like it. A very easy win,” said co-owner Michael Tabor.
As Time Goes By is the final foal for the bluehen Broodmare of the Year Take Charge Lady (USA) (Dehere {USA}). That mare produced 2013 US Champion 3-Year-Old Will Take Charge (USA) (Unbridled’s Song {USA}) and Grade 1 winner Take Charge Indy (USA) (A.P. Indy {USA}) in addition to the dam of three-time Grade 1 winner and shuttle sire Omaha Beach (USA) (War Front {USA}) in addition to his champion juvenile full sister Take Charge Brandi (USA) (Giant’s Causeway {USA}). Take Charge Brandi is also the dam of Saturday’s Jerome S. winner Courvoisier (USA) (Tapit {USA}).
Luck gives LNJ cross-Pacific double
It was a big day for LNJ Foxwoods on both sides of the Pacific Ocean when Lighthouse’s (USA) (Mizzen Mast {USA}) win at Flemington was followed up in America by Luck’s (USA) (Kitten’s Joy {USA}) 3.25l win in the G3 Robert J. Frankel S. at Santa Anita.
A multiple stakes-placed runner, 5-year-old Luck closed by the back of the field in the 1800 metre turf race to run down the centre of the track in the stretch and win by 3.25l. Bodhicitta (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) kept her nose in front of Mucho Unusual (USA) (Mucho Macho Man {USA}) at the line.
“She’s a very special filly,” said trainer Richard Baltas. “She got beat the last time because of the slow fractions. They weren’t going too fast today, but she ran like we knew she was capable of running. We are thankful to have a filly this good and thank the ownership of Jaime Roth and LNJ Foxwoods for this great opportunity.”
The 52nd Graded stakes winner for Kitten’s Joy (USA), Luck is out of the Grade 3-winning Gold Round (Ire) (Caerleon {USA}), who has produced four stakes winners and seven stakes performers overall. Gold Round is a half-sister to multiple Champion Goldikova (Ire) (Anabaa {USA}) and Group 1 winner Galikova (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) among six Group-winning siblings. Gold Round’s stakes-placed full sister Born Something (Ire) is also the grandam of Australian stakes winner See You in the Spring (Siyouni {Fr}).
Newgrange leads Avenger exacta in Sham
An ownership group that includes SF Racing and Starlight Racing and has been dubbed ‘The Avengers’ saw their colt Newgrange (USA) (Violence {USA}) win the G3 Sham S. at Santa Anita ahead of fellow Avenger runner Rockefeller (USA) (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}).
The victory saw Newgrange stay undefeated when setting the pace in the 1600-metre race before drawing away by 2.75l over Rockefeller with that colt holding on to second by a nose over Oviatt Class (USA) (Bernardini {USA}).
“He had been training really well and working together with Rockefeller (finished second and trained by Baffert). The quality is there. I’m happy we have a great team and we are moving forward with him. I thought Rockefeller would be a little closer. We’ll have to figure things out on where the two go from here,” trainer Bob Baffert said of his top two finishers.
The 35th stakes winner for sire Violence (USA), Newgrange is a grandson of Grade 2 winner Bella Chiarra (USA) (Phone Trick {USA}) who is also the grandam of Grade 2 winner Amalfi Sunrise (USA) (Constitution {USA}) and More Than Ready’s (USA) G3 UAE 2000 Guineas second Gotti (USA).
Omaha Beach half-sister produces Derby hopeful
In a big day for the family of shuttle stallion Omaha Beach (USA), his Champion half-sister saw son Courvoisier (USA) (Tapit {USA}) earn 10 points on the Road to the Kentucky Derby with a win in the Listed Jerome S. by 1.25l.
Making his stakes debut one start after breaking his maiden, Courvoisier stuck close to the lead before taking over late and being kept focused on his task to hold off Smarten Up (USA) (American Freedom {USA}) with Cooke Creek (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}) finishing third.
“He does everything right,” said trainer Kelly Breen. “He just needed to put it all together. He was being very juvenile in his first couple of races (before adding blinkers) and I think this is the beginning of him moving forward.”
Courvoisier is a grandson of a half-sister to Sunday’s G3 La Canada S. winner As Time Goes By (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}) with his grandam also producing Spendthrift Australia's shuttle stallion Omaha Beach. Courvoisier is the third foal for 2014 Champion US 2-Year-Old Filly Take Charge Brandi (USA), who sold for US$1.15 million (AU$1.58 million) at last year’s Fasig-Tipton November Sale.
Dash Attack Wins Smarty Jones
Only hours after Sir Alfred James (USA) (Munnings {USA}) gave his sire a 55th stakes winner, Dash Attack (USA) gave him a Kentucky Derby hopeful with 2l win in the Listed Smarty Jones S. to earn 10 Road to the Kentucky Derby points.
Off a step slow in only his second career start, Dash Attack made up the over 6l he gave the leaders in the middle of the race to win by 2l and stay undefeated. Barber Road (USA) (Race Day {USA}) was a clear second with Igniitis (USA) (Nyquist {USA}) a nose ahead of Kavod (USA) (Lea {USA}) for third.
One of two stakes winners and three big winners on the day for Munnings, Dash Attack is out of the winning Hard Spun (USA) mare Cerce Cay (USA). That mare is a half-sister to multiple stakes winners Song of Navarone (USA) (Sultry Song {USA}) and Celluloid Hero (USA) (Glitterman {USA}).
Arrogate registers first stakes winner
The late Arrogate (USA) (Unbridled’s Song {USA}) registered a new milestone on Saturday when Alittleloveandluck (USA) won the Listed Ginger Brew S. at Gulfstream Park to become his first stakes winner.
The victory was her second-straight victory after breaking her maiden at the same track in November. The filly stayed under 2l behind the leader throughout the 1600 metre turf race before doing just enough to win by 0.5l over Ocean Safari (USA) (Temple City {USA}).
Arrogate was euthanised in June of 2020 due to illness after breeding 139 mares in his third season at stud. The filly is the third stakes performer for Canadian Champion Points of Grace (USA) (Point Given {USA}), who also produced Canadian Champion Victory to Victory (USA) (Exchange Rate {USA}). The family also includes stakes-placed Signposted (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}), who raced in Australia from 2015 to his retirement in 2017.
