SUNDAY MORNING – 110 BEYER SPEED FIGURE for wild FLORIDA DERBY – 1:52 1/5 for 9 furlongs; CHROME heads to ROYAL ASCOT, INTERNATIONAL STAR sweeps Fair Grounds stakes and more!
NOTE – (read all the news and notes on Dubai in yesterday’s post called “Eager”)
Thank you to JOSE PAYE for sharing this beautiful image of MATERIALITY getting a sponge bath from jockey John Velasquez.
MATERIAL BOYS
The Kentucky Derby trail is on fire with so many fast, young and exciting colts and this weekend solidified the contender status of another new face.
MATERIALITY, a $400,000 2-year-old in training purchase at Timonium last May, battled Up start through the stretch and won the Grade 1 Florida Derby for his 3rd win in just his 3rd race.
His time of 1:52 1/5 translated into a staggering 110 beyer Figure according to DAILY RACING FORM.
Upstart received a 108 and AMI’S FLATTER, the Canadian-bred Queen’s Plate favourite, was 3rd beaten 14 lengths and earned an 88 Beyer.
MATERIALITY is son of Afleet Alex is out of Wildwood Flower by Canadian bred star LANGFUHR. This is a half brother to last year’s stakes star MY MISS SOPHIA. He was bred by John Gunther who also bred Godolphin Mile winner TAMARKUZ (by Speightstown)
Alto Racing owns and Todd Pletcher trains this bay colt who beat Stanford handily in a stakes race last time out.
Stanford came back with a gut-wrenching run when 2nd in the Louisiana Derby on Saturday to International Star.
As for AMI’S FLATTER, the big colt closed well but was no match for the top 2. Jockey Javier Castellano said,
“He did really well today. I’m very proud of this horse. I know those two horses Upstart and Materiality were the two best horses in the race. They sprinted off and it was hard to catch up. Today he came from behind, kind of the same pace. I’m very proud of the way he did it. I think he was just third best today. I’m very satisfied the way he did it.”
The remarkably gutsy INTERNATIONAL STAR, winner of the Grey Stakes (Grade 3) at Woodbine last year and winner of all 3 sophomore stakes races this winter in Louisiana. FAIR GROUNDS PHOTO
At Fair Grounds, INTERNATIONAL STAR, a descendant of the Canadian female family of RESPOND, COLD REPLY (bred by E.P. Taylor) became the first horse since FRIESAN FIRE wo win all three 3-year-old stakes at Fair Grounds with his Louisiana Derby win.
The Beyer Figure was 98, a career best for International Star who has won 5 of 9 races for Ken and Sarah Ramsamy.
This Fusaichi Pegasus fellow is amazing and he zipped up the rail from well back yesterday and then angled out for a stretch battle with STANFORD. The fight was a bitter one and both colts had heavy whipping – International Star getting the worse of it. You can watch the replay below.
http://www.drf.com/news/international-star-gets-hard-fought-win-louisiana-derby
CALIFORNIA CHROME TO ROYAL ASCOT – QUEEN ANNE STAKES
PRINCE BISHOP, an 8-year-old son of DUBAWI, won the Dubai World Cup coming from far back in an astounding score over Horse of the Year CALIFORNIA CHROME. TERENCE DULAY/HORSE-RACES.NET PHOTO
After a second-place finish in the $10 million Dubai World Cup, California Chrome will go directly to Newmarket, England, to prepare for a start at Royal Ascot, according to co-owner Perry Martin.
The decision has met with a lot of grumbling on social media – mainly because the colt will summer in Newmarket with another trainer while trainer ART SHERMAN will remain in California.
California Chrome had a tough trip in the World Cup as he lost a lot of ground throughout.
MUBTAAHIJ: from Dubai to Derby
This son of Dubawi(Ire) was sensational winning the UAE DERBY on Saturday and trainer Michael de Kock suggested the Kentucky Derby is next for this big 3-year-old colt.
This colt has an intriguing pedigree as his dam is from a broodmare line developed by GEORGE FROSTAD in Canada.
GEORGE FROSTAD raced and bred GAY APPAREL, a daughter of Frostad’s own stallion UP SPIRITS from BRIEF ATTIRE, who was bred by E P Taylor. Frostad then sent her to France when she was done racing. The mare was sold and bred to Bold Forbes and that first foal was champion Italian filly Bold Apparel.
Gay Apparel produced Gale Warning in 1988 – by Last Tycoon, and she won her only race for Kilfrush Stud, owners of Gay Apparel.
Gale Warning produced the placed filly PENNEGALE by Pennekanp. Pennegale produced Group 1 winner LILY OF THE VALLEY as well as Mubtaahij.
* * * Arctic Tern
* * Bering (GB)
* * * Beaune (FR)
* Pennekamp
* * * Green Dancer
* * Coral Dance (FR)
* * * Carvinia
Mubtaahij’s dam – Pennegale (IRE)
* * * Try My Best
* * Last Tycoon (IRE)
* * * Mill Princess (IRE)
* Gale Warning (IRE)
* * * Up Spirits
* * Gay Apparel
* * * Brief Attire
CANADIAN STUFF
Trainer SID ATTARD is ending the winter season in Florida with a bang. He had a nice winner in Charming Delilah recently and then yesterday, INTERPOL, a Canadian bred by English Channel, came off a September layoff to win a turf allowance race for Dennis Narlinger’s JMJ RACING STABLES LLC. Interpol was 2nd in the Breeders’ Stakes last year to Ami’s Holiday. He was bred by Richard Lister and is a 4-year-old colt.
Attard has won 4 races in 2015.
MARK FROSTAD trainee SCORCH, making only his 2nd career start, was 2nd in a maiden allowance with a 69 Beyer Figure at Gulfstream on Saturday.
PYRITE MOUNTAIN was 2nd in the Pan American (Grade 3) before the Florida Derby. The Silent Name 5-year0old horse has 4 seconds since he was sold to Bortolozzo Stable.
