Our two year old Pulpit colt, Terminus, will make his first start for us in the 2nd race at Aqueduct on Saturday. It is a maiden special weight race for two year olds going a mile and one sixteenth on the turf. He drew post 7 of 12 and will be ridden by Carlos Marquez, Jr. Post time for the race is 12:54. Terminus was a $310,000 purchase from the Fasig Tipton Saratoga 2010 yearling sale.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Hilda’s Passion bounced back from her non-effort in her last race in a big way Saturday, taking command soon after the gates opened under Javier Castellano and rolling to a 9 1/4-length victory in the GI $250,000 Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga.

Tar Heel Mom, who stumbled at the start, finished second by a neck over Tamarind Hall. She was followed in the order of finish by Bronx City Girl, Devil by Design, and Sassy Image, the 7-5 favorite who basically bolted after breaking poorly.

The win was the fourth from six starts this year for Hilda’s Passion, a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Canadian Frontier owned by Starlight Racing and Charles Glasscock. It was Hilda’s Passion’s first Grade 1 stakes victory, and it earned her an automatic berth – with all entry fees paid – into the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint on Nov. 4 at Churchill Downs.

When Tar Heel Mom stumbled under Alex Solis, it enabled Hilda’s Passion to open up a one-length advantage through a quarter in 22.83 seconds, and from there the race was basically over.

“She does that well within her range,” trainer Todd Pletcher said.

Hilda’s Passion ran a half-mile in 45.83, six furlongs in 1:09.19, and she covered seven furlongs in 1:22.06. She returned $7.10 as the second choice.

The win helped erase the memory of Hilda’s Passion’s sixth-place finish as the 1-4 favorite in the Grade 3 Bed o’ Roses Handicap at Belmont on July 3.

“The only thing I can come up with is the track; it was a very, very odd track that day,” Pletcher said. “For her not to even make the lead, you knew she wasn’t liking it. We couldn’t find any real reason, we said the Ballerina was what we wanted, we focused on that, and she showed today when she’s on her `A’ game she’s as good as there is.’’

After stumbling at the start, Tar Heel Mom quickly moved into second and chased Hilda’s Passion all the way around the track, but was no match.

“I’m very impressed that she recuperated and ran this kind of race,” Solis said. “She lost her footing, but she’s a warrior. She kept trying.”

Trainer Dale Romans had said that Sassy Image was training as well as any horse he ever had for any race. But after she leapt in the air at the start, she drifted toward the outside fence and was a handful for jockey Robby Albarado.

“He said she wanted to run to the outside fence all the way around there,” Romans said. “She’s never done anything like that before. Hopefully, she’s okay." - DRF

Our four year old Pulpit filly, Ailalea, who ran a lights out closing 4th in the $75,000 Rachel Alexandra Stakes in her last start on August 1 in Saratoga will return on Wednesday in the 8th race, a N3X allowance race for fillies and mares going 7 furlongs. She drew post position 3 of 5 and will be ridden by Edgar Prado. Post time is 4:55.

On Monday night we purchased hip 66, a filly (pictured) by freshman sire Street Boss out of the Saint Ballado winning mare, Wadena. She cost $160,000.
The following evening we went to $165,000 for hip 153 ,a strappy son of Harlan's Holiday. Already named Park City he is out of the Pleasant Colony mare, Light Show.

Dixie Shoes will be our first runner of the Saratoga meet when she enters the gate in the 6th race on Friday. The daughter of Giant's Causeway is running in a maiden claiming $50,000 race for filles and mares going a mile on the turf. She drew post position 7 of 10 and will be ridden by John Velazquez.
Post time is 5:15.

Hilda's Passion loks for her fourth graded stakes win of the year as the clear standout in Belmont Park's $150,000 Bed O'Roses Handicap (gr. III) July 3.

Staright Racing and Charles E. Glasscock's speedy 4-year-old filly has already shown she's fond of Belmont's main track, romping by 5 1/4 lengths in the Vagrancy Handicap (gr. II) June 4 at odds of 2-5. Adding just one pound off that effort, the Todd Pletcher trainee is likely to go off at a similar price against six rivals in the seven-furlong Bed o' Roses.

The race is the ninth on the Belmont card and follows a pair of grade II events for 2 -year-olds, the Futurity and Matron. The Bed o' Roses is scheduled to go off at 5:17 p.m. EDT.

Hilda's Passion carries 124 in the Bed o' Roses, nine more than her closest opponent, Christine Daee, and 11 more than three lightweights in the field. It's easy to understand why. In addition to her runaway win in the Vagrancy, she was a dominant front-runner in winning both the Hurricane Bertie (gr. III) and Inside Information (gr. II) stakes at Gulfstream Park earlier in the year. In the latter race, she set a track record at Gulfstream of 1:20.45 at the Bed o' Roses distance.

Javier Castellano was aboard for all three of those wins, plus a pair of runner-up finishes this season in the Humana Distaff (gr. I) at Churchill Downs and Gulfstream's Sugar Swirl (gr. III) to begin the year. He returns to ride the Canadian Frontier miss again this time. Hilda's Passion, who drew favorably in post 6, has won seven of 12 starts in two seasons of racing and earned $587,993.

“Obviously, she’s a filly that is at her best on dirt,” said Pletcher. “She’s talented enough on [artificial surfaces] and turf, so she’s versatile in that respect. She’s a free-running filly and her style suits dirt. She’s been better as a 4-year-old; her races have been less taxing. I believe that’s due to her physical maturity more than anything.”

Christine Daae, on the comeback trail for trainer Patrick Biancone, starts on the far outside. Kona Stables' 4-year-old daughter of Giant's Causeway has raced just once in 2011, winning a seven-furlong optional claiming allowance heat at Gulfstream by four lengths April 22. That was her first start since finishing sixth in Saratoga's Test Stakes (gr. I) last August. Joe Bravo retains the mount.

Team Power Play Racing's Curlina ran second all the way around to Hilda's Passion in the Vagrancy, her stakes debut for trainer Gary Gullo. The 4-year-old Cuvee  filly had won four in a row prior to that against allowance and claiming company.

“This race could be a turning point for her,” said Gullo. “She might have been kind of a late bloomer. She’s always had the look of a real nice filly and she’s finally starting to put it all together now. With these fillies sometimes they get good for two or three months and then go backwards, but fingers crossed, she’ll go forward.”

Juddmonte Farms' Comic Marvel returns to dirt for trainer Bill Mott after a fourth-place finish in Belmont's Nonsuch Bay Stakes June 8. The 4-year-old daughter of Distorted Humor  began her six-race career with consecutive wins on dirt.

Kid Kate, trained by Chad Brown for Dell Ridge Farm, won the Correction Stakes on the inner track at Aqueduct in January and most recently finished third in an overnight stakes at Belmont.

Spa City Princess was placed third in the one-mile Shuvee Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont May 21. - Bloodhorse

Despite stumbling at the start under Javier Castellano, Hilda's Passion quickly picked herself up and carved out fractions of 22.34 seconds for the quarter, 44.91 for the half-mile, and 1:08.54 for six furlongs while racing uncontested. She covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:14.81, just .35 of a second off the track and stakes record established by Bear Fan in 2004. She returned $2.90 to win.

Curlina, stepping up into graded a company for the first time in her career, chased those early fractions and finished second, four lengths ahead of Tidal Pool. Streaker and Erin Rose completed the order of finish. Kissa Melissa and Kid Kate were scratched.

The win was the third from five starts this year for Hilda's Passion, who during the winter meet at Gulfstream won the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie and Grade 2 Inside Information. She was coming off a second-place finish to Sassy Image in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff at Churchill Downs last out.

Hilda's Passion, a 4-year-old daughter of Canadian Frontier, is owned by Jack and Laurie Wolf's Starlight Stable and Charles Glasscock and trained by Todd Pletcher.

Castellano said he didn't think the stumble was a big deal because she recovered so quickly and made the front without trouble.

"I know the fractions went pretty fast, but when it didn't feel like they were that fast," Castellano said. "I just relaxed and enjoyed the trip. When I asked her a little bit she took off."

Castellano said that Hilda's Passion did get a little pumped up when she stumbled, but Pletcher said that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"I think she's usually at her best when she's a little pumped up actually, so it didn't concern me too much," Pletcher said. "She was at the top of her game today."

Pletcher said he would likely run Hilda's Passion back in the Grade 3, $150,000 Bed o' Roses here on July 3 and then freshen the filly up until the Grade 1 Ballerina at Saratoga on Aug. 27. - DRF

If trainer Todd Pletcher has any concern regarding Hilda’s Passion entering Saturday’s Grade 2, $150,000 Vagrancy Handicap at Belmont Park, it’s the amount of weight the multiple stakes-winning filly has to concede to her six competitors.

Hilda’s Passion, the only graded winner among the seven entered in the 6 1/2-furlong race, has to carry 123 pounds, conceding six to 10 pounds to the field. Just last week, in the $250,000 My Juliet Stakes at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa., Tar Heel Mom lost a nose decision to Indian Legend, to whom she was conceding 10 pounds.

“It’s a lot of weight, it’s a big spread between some nice fillies,” Pletcher said. “At the same time, I wouldn’t trade spots with any of them.”

Hilda’s Passion has done little wrong since Pletcher put her on the dirt. Last summer at Saratoga, Hilda’s Passion won the off-the-turf Bennington Stakes by 8 3/4 lengths. She ended her 3-year-old season by winning the Grade 2 Raven Run over Keeneland’s Polytrack.

In four starts this year – all on dirt – Hilda’s Passion won the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie and Grade 2 Inside Information, while finishing second to Tar Heel Mom in the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl and to Sassy Image in the Grade 1 Humana Distaff. Sassy Image, a confirmed Churchill Downs horse for course, came back to win the Winning Colors Stakes last Monday.

“I think we caught a filly that loves Churchill,” said Pletcher, who noted that the Humana Distaff went faster than the Churchill Downs Stakes for boys at the same seven-furlong distance later on the card. “It was a big race, we couldn’t get quite get there. The track may not have been playing extremely kind to speed.”

Hilda’s Passion, who will break from post 2 under Javier Castellano, may have to contend with a pace challenge from Tidal Pool or Curlina in the Vagrancy.

“I think Tidal Pool is the main other speed, we mixed it up with her last time,” Pletcher said. “We’ll let our filly run her race.”

Streaker (115 pounds) and Erin Rose (114) are two closers with a chance to threaten Hilda’s Passion late. Streaker has won four of five starts for trainer Shug McGaughey, including a solid victory in a third-level allowance race May 13.

Erin Rose makes her stakes debut after winning a pair of allowance races to begin her 4-year-old season.

“She’s stepping up,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “She’s always been a nice filly, just not the soundest. I think she has a lot of talent.” - DRF

Artisanal, who was scratched from the GIII Appalachian Stakes on Thursday, came home an easy winner of the first level allowance event the following day. Drawn number 8 in the 12 horse field, she stalked the pace three wide in the early stages of the mile event which was taken off the turf and run on the polytrack. She began to make her move on the second turn and wore down any rivals to draw clear down the stretch and win by a comfortable 2 lengths. Artisanal is a More Than Ready filly out of the Native Prospector mare, Lo Cal Bread.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Hilda's Passion put an exclamation point on an almost-perfect winter at Gulfstream Park, not only drawing off to a 5 1/4-length victory over Amen Hallelujah in Saturday's $150,000 Inside Information but setting a seven-furlong track record in the process.

Hilda's Passion, a 4-year-old daughter of Canadian Frontier owned by Starlight Stables and Clint Glasscock, added the Grade 2 Inside Information to her victory here five weeks ago in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie. She just missed sweeping the three-race sprint handicap series for older fillies and mares by getting beaten a neck by Tar Heel Mom following a wide trip in the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl on Jan. 15.

Hilda's Passion's final time of 1:20.45 over a fast track eclipsed the old mark of 1:20.88 set by reigning sprint champion Big Drama almost two years ago. She paid $3.20.

As expected, Hilda's Passion controlled the pace of the Inside Information, setting early fractions of 22.07 and 44.20 seconds for the opening half-mile with Amen Hallelujah in close pursuit from the outset. Amen Hallelujah ranged up outside the leader to loom boldly entering the stretch, at which point jockey Javier Castellano let Hilda's Passion out a notch and she immediately responded by drawing off with complete authority.  Stephanie Got Even rallied mildly to finish third, another 2 1/2 lengths behind Amen Hallelujah.

"She was awesome, and I didn't even think the track was that fast today, which makes this even more impressive," trainer Todd Pletcher said. "She doesn't look like she's going that fast, and then you look up at the timer and see 44 and change. I thought we had a race on her hands today when Amen Hallelujah crept up on us on the turn, and as soon as I started thinking that, she was gone."

Pletcher said Hilda's Passion would be pointed for the seven-furlong, Grade 1 Humana Distaff on Kentucky Derby day. - DRF

Artisanal who had suffered from nightmare trips in her previous 2 starts made her 3rd start a winning one when taking the 2nd race yesterday at Gulfstream. Sent off as the chalk at 9-5 in the maiden turf event for sophmore fillies the dark bay rated just off the lead in 3rd through the early stages then moved up on even terms with pace setter Silver Screamer at the 8th pole to outfinish her by a length at the wire. Artisanal is by More Than Ready out of the Native Prospector mare, Lo Cal Bread and is a half to stakes winner, P. S. U. Grad. She was purchased at the 2009 Fasig Tipton Saratoga yearling sale for $275,000. She is pictured to the left at the sale.

Hilda’s Passion would be the horse to beat in the Grade 3 Inside Information regardless of the pace scenario exiting an easy 2 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie on Feb. 13 for which she received a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure. Add in the fact the multiple graded stakes winner is the only speed in the field for the seven-furlong Inside Information and it appears she has her six rivals over a barrel.

Hilda’s Passion, trained by Todd Pletcher, has won three of her last four starts. Her only loss during the streak a tough neck setback at the hands of Tar Heel Mom in the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl to open her 4-year-old campaign. In that race, Hilda’s Passion tried to rate off the leaders instead of using her blazing speed to control the race as she did in each of her last three victories, including the Hurricane Bertie.

Hilda’s Passion will carry high weight of 121 pounds under the allowance conditions of the Inside Information, including regular rider Javier Castellano.

Amen Hallelujah could not contend with the Pletcher-trained Awesome Maria a month ago in the one-mile Sabin and will have her hands full with her stablemate Hilda’s Passion on Saturday.

Amen Hallelujah finished a distant second behind Awesome Maria as the 8-5 favorite in the Grade 3 Sabin. She rallied to be fifth, beaten less than two lengths by Aegean, in the six-furlong Sunshine Millions Filly and Mare Sprint to open the season.

“I was happy with both her races this winter,” said trainer Rick Dutrow. “Six furlongs is not her game, especially off the bench. And Todd’s horse ran huge last time. She can handle seven furlongs and she should run her race.”

Amen Hallelujah tuned up for the Sabin and again for the Inside Information by working on the turf, breezing six furlongs in 1:11.80 here on Sunday.

“She really likes the grass,” said Dutrow. “I can’t wait to give her a shot on it.”

Beautician finished far behind Hilda’s Passion as the slight favorite in Keeneland’s Grade 2 Raven Run to close out her 3-year-old campaign but bounced back to win the Pan Zareta Stakes at Fair Grounds with a big last-to-first run on Feb. 19 for trainer Ken McPeek. Beautician was the runner-up in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

The Grade 1-placed Milwaukee Appeal makes her first start since finishing eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Ladies Classic.

Ms Vanenzza comes off the best effort of her career when second best behind Hilda’s Passion in the Hurricane Bertie.

Choragus turns back in distance off a game victory in the 1 1/16-mile Wayward Lass at Tampa Bay Downs on Feb. 26.

Stephanie Got Even, a stakes winner earlier this winter at Oaklawn Park, makes her first start since being transferred to trainer Marty Wolfson’s barn. - DRF

In last month's six-furlong Sugar Swirl, Hilda’s Passion rated off the pace when she broke from the extreme outside and fell a neck short of Tar Heel Mom after a wide trip. But jockey Javier Castellano was intent on making the lead with Hilda’s Passion in Sunday’s rematch, quickly sending the speedy filly right to the front from the rail.

Hilda’s Passion set fractions of 22.08 and 44.62 seconds, readily shook off Tar Heel Mom entering the stretch, opened a commanding advantage nearing the eighth pole, and just cruised home under steady urging to the wire. Ms Vanenzza rallied mildly down the middle of the track to easily be second best, finishing six lengths in front of North Rodeo. Tar Heel Mom faded to fourth followed by In Perpetuity and My Jen.

Hilda’s Passion, a daughter of Canadian Frontier owned by Jack Wolf’s Starlight Partners and Clint Glasscock, completed 6  1/2 furlongs in 1:15.79 and paid $4.80.

“Breaking from the outside last time we tried a little different strategy and it kind of backfired,” said trainer Todd Pletcher. “We knew she needed to break clean today from the rail but she’s blessed with high speed and from the one hole we had no option but to go and she just ran them off their feet.”

Pletcher said Hilda’s Passion would likely return in the seven-furlong, Grade 2 Inside Information on March 19.

“We decided to give her a break after she won the stakes at Keeneland and point for the three-race series here,” said Pletcher. “So if everything goes all right, we’ll bring her back in the last one.” - DRF

Hilda's Passion who won the GII Raven Run for us in her last outing will make her next start in the GIII $100,000 Sugar Swirl Stakes for fillies and mares going 6 furlongs at Gulfstream on Saturday. She has drawn the outside post of the 10 horse field and will be ridden by Javier Castellano. Post time for the race is 4:52. She has been training well at Palm Meadows so fingers cossed.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Hilda's Passion outran a pair of longshots to become the latest graded stakes winner for the Starlight Partners while giving jockey Corey Lanerie one of the biggest victories of his career Saturday in the 12th running of the Grade 2 $250,000 Raven Run at Keeneland.

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Hilda's Passion was always in the hunt in the seven-furlong Polytrack race. She took over for the early leader, Platinum Exchange, entering the far turn, then turned back several challengers while Lanerie kept her to a fierce drive.

Nearing the wire, Decelerator, a 73-1 shot trained by D. Wayne Lukas, was inching nearer after being in close pursuit throughout, but Hilda's Passion held on to win by three-quarters of a length. Tremendamente Loca, a 42-1 shot, was another three-quarters of a length back in third in a field of 13 3-year-old fillies.

Hilda's Passion returned $14.40 after finishing in 1:21.38.

"It was a perfect trip," said Lanerie, a 35-year-old Louisiana native whose richest career win came in the $500,000 Ashland at Keeneland in 2009. "I was just being a good passenger. She wasn't going to let anybody by today."

Starlight, headed by Jack Wolf and Don Lucarelli, has raced numerous top horses in the last decade, including Ashado, Harlan's Holiday, Purge, Monba, Octave, and Take the Points. Starlight owns Hilda's Passion in partnership with Louisville attorney Ed Glasscock.

Hilda's Partner, a Kentucky-bred by Canadian Frontier, was coming off a romping win in her stakes debut, the $70,000 Bennington in the Saratoga slop in late August. She earned easily her biggest payday, $150,000, and now has won 4 of 7 career starts.

On a seasonable afternoon, and before an ontrack crowd of 23,318, Beautician was the post-time favorite at 4-1, an indication of just how wide-open horseplayers saw the race. But except for the top two finishers, and the belated run by Tremendamente Loca, none of the others ever became factors.

With the longshots filling out the tote board, the $2 exacta (6-10) returned $820.20; the $2 trifecta (6-10-5) paid $20,408; and the 10-cent superfecta (6-10-5-11), with Kitty in a Tizzy finishing fourth, returned $6,097.

The 2009 Raven Run produced similarly huge mutuels when 23-1 Satans Quick Chick won over two other long-priced fillies. - DRF

 

Hilda's Passion had only one main track try in five previous starts when fourth in a Fair Grounds optional seller in March, but was entered as a main track only for The Bennington Stakes, originally scheduled for the turf. She was a troubled-trip fourth last time in a Monmouth allowance July 18 in her first start for Todd Pletcher after beginning her career in the Midwest for Jeffrey Thornbury. The bay splashed to the lead here and never looked back, carving out a half in :45.58 and increasing her insurmountable advantage even more in the lane. Presque Isle shipper Malibu Moon Dance rallied smartly down the center of the track from last early to record the distant second. Crossing the wire nearly 9 lengths the best, the final time for the race was 1:03 4/5.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Position Limit backed up her impressive debut victory with an even more impressive performance in Sunday’s Grade2, $150,000 Adirondack Stakes for juvenile fillies, pulling away from Alienation in midstretch and drawing clear to a five-length victory at Saratoga.

Alienation, who took the lead three furlongs into the race, finished second, five lengths ahead of Coax Liberty. It was seven lengths back to Hula in fourth. She was followed in the order of finish by Nina Fever, Silvislip, Because I Like It, Tristanme, Golden Phoenix, and Miss Sarah Brown.

The victory came one month after Position Limit, a daughter of Bellamy Road, won a maiden race at Belmont by 6 3/4 lengths. Sunday’s victory came despite the fact Position Limit lost a left front shoe during the running of the race.

“She couldn’t have been more impressive in her first two, the way I see it,” said trainer Todd Pletcher, who won two races on the card and has a meet-leading 17 victories.

Breaking from post 8 under John Velazquez, Position Limit was five wide down the backstretch and in fourth position. Miss Sarah Brown made the lead through an opening quarter in 21.72 seconds, before Alienation took over from her midway around the turn.

Velazquez was going to be content to wait a little longer, but when he saw how easy Alienation was moving under Martin Garcia, he decided to send his filly approaching the five-sixteenths pole. Position Limit crept up alongside Alienation in upper stretch and took control inside the eighth pole.
“It seemed like [Alienation] was going pretty easy on the lead, so I had to move a little earlier than I wanted to,” said Velazquez, who won three races on Sunday’s card. “But once I got her going, she was on the muscle.”

Position Limit, owned by Starlight Partners, headed by Jack and Laurie Wolf, covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:17.30 and returned $5.10 as the favorite.

“I thought she ran a very professional race,” Pletcher said. “She’s got everything you want - tactical speed and stamina to go along with it. It was a big step forward.”

Pletcher said he would likely wait until the Grade 1 Frizette at Belmont on Oct. 9 to run Position Limit again - DRF

Ailalea will try the turf for the first time on Saturday in the $70,000 Hattie Mosley Stakes which is for three year old fillies going a mile on the turf. She exits the GI Mother Goose Stakes into this softer spot. She will break from the outside in post 10 and will have Edgar Prado in the irons. Post time for the race is 4:42.

Holy Place will try to break her maiden in the 2nd race at Saratoga this Friday. It is a maiden special for fillies and mares, three year olds and up going a mile and a sixteenth on the turf. She drew post 9 in the 12 horse field and will be ridden by John Velazquez. Post time for the race is 1:33.
Holy Place finished 3rd in her only start which was over the same distance at Belmont in June. Holy Place is by Pulpit, out of the Saint Ballado mare, Sacre Coeur. She is pictured to the left as a yearling at the 2008 Keeneland September sale.

Hilda's Passion, a recent convincing allowance winner at Arlington, runs in the 9th race at Churchill on Saturday. It is a NW2L allowance race  for filles and mares, three year olds and up going 6 furlongs. She drew post position 5 of 7 and will be ridden by Corey Nakatani. Post time for the race is 4:59. Hilda's Passion has since switched barns since her last win and is now trained by Todd Pletcher.

Starlight Partners’ Caminadora emerged from a six-horse scramble for the lead at the eighth pole to win the 41st running of the $145,250 Regret (GIII) for 3-year-old fillies by three-quarters of a length over the fast-closing Snow Top Mountain on Saturday afternoon at Churchill Downs.

Caminadora’s victory gave trainer Todd Pletcher his third victory of the afternoon and second stakes score on the day on the heels of Colizeo’s victory in the Northern Dancer (GIII).

Ridden by Corey Nakatani, Caminadora was last in the field of 12 in the early going as Go Ask Alex opened a daylight advantage and led the field through fractions of :24.01, :48.31 and 1:13.43.

Entering the far turn, Robby Albarado sent Dynazaper after Go Ask Alex and assumed the lead at the head of the stretch. Nakatani had Caminadora outside of horses and in the clear, taking command at midstretch from Dynazaper and holding off Snow Top Mountain.

Caminadora ran the 1 1/8 miles on a Matt Winn Turf Course rated as “good” in 1:52.04. The victory was worth $83,751 and raised Caminadora’s bankroll to $144,878 with a record of 9-2-1-3. Caminadora is a Kentucky-bred daughter of More Than Ready out of the Storm Boot mare Stoneway.

Caminadora returned $66.80, $25.20 and $16.20. Snow Top Mountain, under apprentice Freddie Lenclud, returned $16 and $10.20 with Queen Hazel finishing third, another three-quarters of a length back under Brian Hernandez Jr., and paying $17.40. It was another neck back to It’s Tea Time, who was followed in order by Dynazaper, Beautician, La Gran Bailadora, Jody Slew, Joharmony, Ambitioness, Go Ask Alex and Queen of the Creek.

The Regret trophy was presented by Jean Cruguet, jockey of 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew..

REGRET QUOTES

COREY NAKATANI (jockey, CAMINADORA, winner): “Overall, we had a great trip. (Trainer) Todd (Pletcher) said ‘Let’s try to save as much ground as we can and try to make one run. She’s not as good as the others on numbers but she’s been doing good.’ I got pinched back a little at the start, but we weren’t too worried about that because we wanted to lay back and get her nice and relaxed and make one run –  the winning one – and she did.”

TODD PLETCHER (trainer, CAMINADORA, winner): “She’s a filly that last year showed some promise at 2 and we went to Florida and wanted to find a way with her a little bit. Her last race wasn’t as good but over analyzing the race and looking at the figures it was better than it appeared, so we decided to take a shot. Her choices were to run back in a one-other-than (allowance) last week or wait the extra week and run here and give her the extra time. It worked out well and she was able to get a good trip. She got fanned out pretty wide at the top of the stretch, but it wasn’t a bad thing here. The main thing was to get her to settle the first part. It’s been a great day so far. We’ll play it by ear for what’s next.”

Ailalea will make her next start on Saturday at Churchill in the GIII $100,000 Dogwood Stakes. She drew post 4 of 8 in the mile event for 3 year old filles and will have the services of Calvin Borel in the irons. Ailalea finished a strong 6th in the GI Kentucky Oaks last time out and has been training well ever since.

CHECKLIST (c, 4, Gone West-Yearly Report {MGSW, $835,900}, by General Meeting) was deemed a “TDN Rising Star” after breaking his maiden at Gulfstream back in January of 2009, and enjoyed modest stakes fortune during his sophomore season. In quick succession, the bay was third in the Apr. 25 GIII Derby Trial S., May 16 GIII Hirsch Jacobs S. and June 7 Rumson S., then was through for the year. He returned to be second in an optional claimer at Gulfstream Mar. 3, and made even-money look like a gift here. Securing a daylight lead soon after the break, Checklist widened at every call and hit the line 11 1/4 lengths to the good. The final time was within a half tick of the track record. Sales history: $400,000 yrl '07 KEESEP. Lifetime Record: MGSP, 8-3-1-3, $104,334. - TDN

Caminadora is entered in the last race at Keeneland on Thursday. It is a first level allowance race for three year old fillies going a mile on the turf. She drew post position 5 in a field of 12 and will be ridden by John Velazquez. Post time for the race is 5:05. Caminadora ran fourth at Gulfstream Park last time out after encountering traffic problems mid stretch.

Mae Gone West will make her second start in the 9th race at Gulfstream Park on Sunday. It is a $75,000 maiden claiming race for three year old fillies going a mile on the turf. She drew post position 3 of 12 and will be ridden by Chris DeCarlo. Post time is 5:15.
Mae Gone West is by Gone West out of the Capote mare, Dodie Mae.

Hilda's Passion will be our first runner at Keeneland in 2010. She runs in the 7th race on Saturday in a first level allowance race going 7 furlongs on the polytrack. She drew post 7 of 11 and will be ridden by James Graham. Post time is 4:14. Hilda's Passion is a three year old filly by Canadian Frontier out of the El Prado mare, Executricker. She is pictured to the left.

Paseo Alegro is running in the 10th race at Gulfstream on Saturday. It is a $75,000 maiden claiming race going a mile on the turf. He drew post position 7 of 12 and will be ridden by Chris DeCarlo. Post time for his race is 5:56. Paseo Alegro is a three year ald colt out of the Deputy Minister mare, Arabis.

In one of several changes involving horses slated to run on the March 27 Dubai World Cup (UAE-I) program, Starlight Partners’ dual grade I winner Take The Points has been given a new target, the $5-million Dubai Duty Free (UAE-I) on the Meydan Racecourse turf.

Originally set to compete in the record $10-million Dubai World Cup at 2,000 meters (about 1 1/4 miles) on the synthetic Tapeta track, Take the Points was reassigned to the 1,800-meter (about 1 1/8 miles) Dubai Duty Free after his connections assessed the potential fields and considered the surfaces involved.

“He’s run all his best races on the turf,” noted Ginny DePasquale, an assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher who traveled with Take the Points while making her fourth journey to Dubai with Pletcher runners. “And he should really like this turf course. Everything about the (Duty Free) is right down his alley.”

Although Take the Points has run on a synthetic track in the past, finishing second and fourth, respectively, in last year’s Sham Stakes (gr. III) and Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park, the 4-year-old colt by Even The Score. won the Secretariat Stakes (gr. I) at Arlington Park and Jamaica Handicap (gr. I) at Belmont Park over grass. The Jamaica was at 1 1/8 miles and the Secretariat was at 1 1/4 miles.

Winner of four of 13 career starts and $623,590, Take the Points’ average winning distance is about 1 1/8 miles.

“Why take a chance on Tapeta and an extra eighth of a mile in the World Cup?” said Jack Wolf, managing partner of Starlight. “The distance and the surface (of the Dubai Duty Free) are his specialty.”

Pletcher, who saddled Harlan's Holiday for Starlight when the colt earned $1-million by finishing second in the 2003 Dubai World Cup, suggested the Duty Free, and Wolf and partners Donald Lucarelli and Mike Masters agreed with the idea, even though the purse was half of that offered by the World Cup. Nonetheless, the Dubai Duty Free ranks among the top five turf races in the world by purse value.

Take the Points took his first tour of Meydan the morning of March 20 after clearing quarantine following the long journey to Dubai from Florida. DePasquale reported he handled the trip very well and was full of energy. When he saw the huge grandstand lit up by the rising sun, he “acted like a 2-year-old,” she said. However, he soon calmed under exercise rider Manny Alicea and galloped professionally on the synthetic track.

DePasquale said Take the Points is tentatively set to school in the Meydan paddock the evening of 23 and will visit the starting gate sometime over the next several days. - Michele MacDonald (Bloodhorse)

Our recent acquisiton, Hilda's Passion, will make her first start for us in the 9th race at the Fair Grounds on Saturday. It is an allowance optional climing race for three year old fillies going 6 furlongs. She drew post 4 in a field of 9 horses and James Graham will be in the irons. Post time is 4:40 CST. Hilda's Passion has started one time and scored a convincing win over the 6 furlong distance at Turfway Park. She is trained by Jeff Thornbury. She is by Canadian Frontier out of the El Prado mare, Executricker.

Triple A. Rating will make his first start on Thursday in the third race at Aqueduct. It is a maiden special weight for three year olds going 6 furlongs. He drew the 5 hole in a field of 6 horses and will be ridden by David Cohen. Post time for the race is 1:58. Triple A. Rating is by Value Plus out of the Crafty Prospecter mare, Crafty Gal. He was a $160,000 purchase from the Fasig Tipton July yearling sale in 2008.  

Caminadora will make her 2010 debut in a first level allowance race on the turf at Gulfstream on Saturday. A maiden special winner at Belmont last fall she then ran a good second in the $65,000 Good Mood Stakes at the same track a few weeks later. She has been freshened up and has been training well at Palm Meadows. The race is carded as the 7th race and post time will be 4:07. She drew the outside post in a field of 12 and will be reunited with Edgar Prado. Caminadora is by More Than Ready out of the Storm Boot mare, Stoneway.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Take the Points won the battle, registering an apparent 1 1/2-length victory over Court Vision in Saturday's $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap. But he ultimately lost the war after being disqualified from first and was placed fifth for allegedly impeding Yate's Black Cat near the sixteenth pole in the Grade 1 event.

Trainer Todd Pletcher said there is a possibility Take the Points' owner, the Starlight Partners, might appeal the decision.

"We'll consider an appeal for a couple of reasons," said Pletcher. "First of all, if you look at the turf course you don't get a true head-on replay. I felt our horse was far enough clear at the time of the incident. The other horse obviously caught our heel but I felt the 1 horse [Le Grand Cru] hit our horse and turned us sideways, and there was no way what happened affected the outcome. There was no way the horse he was supposed to have bothered was ever going to beat him. It was a borderline call, and when you have a borderline call in a Grade 1 race you should leave it alone."

Take the Points, already a two-time Grade 1 winner, raced under jockey Edgar Prado within easy striking distance of pacesetter Le Grand Cru. Take the Points eased out to engage the leaders entering the stretch, gained a short advantage leaving the furlong grounds, angled in while beginning to edge clear near the sixteenth pole, and won going away.

Court Vision raced wide and rallied mildly to be second across the finish line, finishing a neck in front of the wide-running Never on Sunday. Yate's Black Cat was attempting to split the leaders with his bid nearing midstretch when he clipped heels, stumbled, and lose all chance.

Court Vision, who is owned by a partnership that includes the IEAH Stables, Resolute Group Stables, and WinStar Farm was the 4-5 favorite in a field of six and paid $3.80. He was ridden by Robby Albarado. Final time for 1 1/8 miles was 1:46.84 over a firm course.

"That's the first time I ever was placed first in a Grade 1 race," said Court Vision's trainer, Rick Dutrow Jr. "My horse needed the race, Robby said he got tired galloping out. Our horse ran good, Todd's horse ran good, and I'm happy we got the money." - DRF

Take The Points will make his first start against older males in the GI $300,000 Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap on Saturday at Gulfstream. He drew post 5 in a small field of 6 horses who will be contesting the mile and one eighth turf event. He will be ridden by Edgar Prado and post time for the race is 5:18.

Three Day Rush, who recently won a six furlong allowance event at Gulfstream Park will make his next start for us in the $100,000 Whirlaway Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday. He drew post position 5 of 6 in the mile and one sixteenth event for three year olds. He will be ridden by David Cohen and the post time for the race is 1:26. It will be the 3rd race on the card that day.

Our promising Pulpit filly, Ailalea, returns to the track on Sunday at Gulfstream in the GII $150,000 Forward Gal Stakes. She drew post 7 in a field of 13 three year old fillies who will line up to contest the 7 furlong event. She will be ridden by Edgar Prado and post time for the race is 5:14. Ailalea closed out her two year old year by taking the GIII Tempted Stakes at Aqueduct on November 7.

2nd-GPX, $37,000, Alw, NW1X, 3yo, 6f, 1:10 2/5, sy.
THREE DAY RUSH (c, 3, by Harlan's Holiday-Predictress by Vicar) missed by a head in his career opener for Vision Racing and trainer Ronny Werner at Delaware before finishing fourth in the Saratoga slop Aug. 29. Equipped with blinkers for Monmouth's NATC Futurity Sept. 26, the dark bay earned a hard-fought diploma and was sold privately to Starlight Partners, who turned him over to Todd Pletcher. He ran fifth in the GIII Iroquois S. at Churchill Nov. 1, and came into this contest off a second in a first-level allowance under the Twin Spires Nov. 28. Shedding the hood here, the blaze-faced colt was in front soon after the start, with stablemate Mission Impazible (Unbridled's Song) glued to his flank through a :23.07 opening quarter. The duo did their best Affirmed-and-Alydar impression all the way down the lane, and Three Day Rush dug in fiercely on the inside to secure success by a head. It was 5 3/4 lengths back to Family Holiday (Harlan's Holiday) in third. Lifetime Record: SW, 6-2-2-0, $161,468-TDN.

Three Day Rush will start off his three year old campaign in the second race at Gulfstream Park on Saturday. It is a first level allowance race going six furlongs. He drew post position 7 in a field of 8 and will be ridden by Edgar Prado. Post time for the race is 1:42. Three Day Rush is by Harlan's Holiday out of the Vicar mare, Predictress.

Our last runner of the year was a winning one when Tiger's Rock captured the $65,000 Gallant Fox Handicap at Aqueduct this afternoon. Disregarded in the betting, he broke well and stalked the pace holding a comfortable cruising position in 5th for most of the mile and five eighths event. On the final turn he edged closer to the leaders and poked his nose in front around the quarter pole, pulling away to win easily by over four lengths. David Cohen, who was on board, was very excited about him and remarked on how push button he is to ride. Tiger's Rock became the first three year old since 1994 to win this race and now brings his race record to 3 wins from 6 starts and total lifetime earnings to $93,080. Tiger's Rock is by top sire Giant's Causeway out of the Afleet mare, Call Me Fleet. He was bred in Kentucky by Dell Ridge Farm. We purchased him at the 2007 Keeneland September yearling sale for $300,000. He is pictured to the left as a yearling.

Astounder will make his debut for Starlight on Sunday which is opening day of the 2010 Gulfstream meet. He is running in the 9th race, a maiden special weight event for three year olds going 6 furlongs. He drew post 2 in a field of 12 horses and Eibar Coa will be in the irons to ride. Astounder is by Eurosilver out of the Dayjur mare, Informative style. He was a $320,000 yearling purchase at the 2008 Fasig Tipton July sale. He is pictured to the left as a yearling.

Tiger's Rock notched up his second victory in two starts when taking the fourth race at Keeneland yesterday. Originally scheduled for the turf, the first level allowance race was changed to a distance of a mile and five eighths over the polytrack. Tiger's Rock settled in hand under jockey, Kent Desormeaux, then moved into position after five furlongs and tracked the leaders until poking his head in front nearing the quarter pole and proceeded to shake clear under gentle urging to score by a confident 3 lengths over the Christophe Clement trained heavy favorite, Armstrong Mill. Tiger's Rock is by Giant's Causeway out of the Afleet mare, Call Me Fleet. He was a $300,000 yearling purchase at the 2007 Keeneland September Sale.

"Take the Points was the only Grade 1 winner in the field entering Saturday's Jamaica Handicap and he left the newly anointed Grade 1 race the same way with a mild upset over heavily favored Courageous Cat at Belmont Park.

Settling down after being rank early on, Take the Points struck the front at the five-sixteenths pole and outfinished the perennial runner-up Straight Story by a head to win the $300,000 Jamaica. It was three-quarters of a length back to Courageous Cat, the 4-5 favorite, in third. He was followed in the order of finish by Grassy, Boots Ahead, Mr. Sandman, and Chapin Beach.

It was the second consecutive Grade 1 victory for Take the Points, who on Aug. 8 won the Secretariat at Arlington Park. Take the Points was the only member of the Jamaica field that was not Breeders' Cup nominated, so he was running for the winner's share - $120,000 - of $200,000 as opposed to $300,000. (The Breeders' Cup added $100,000 to the purse of the Jamaica.) Owner Jack Wolf said it was unlikely that Take the Points would be supplemented to any of the Breeders' Cup races at Santa Anita next month. The Hollywood Derby on Nov. 29 is more likely, he said.

The Jamaica unfolded with Courageous Cat making the early lead under Ramon Dominguez. Chapin Beach rushed up to take him on after breaking slowly, and a headstrong Take the Points, under Edgar Prado, raced in third.

Take the Points relaxed down the backstretch, but leaving the half-mile pole he made his move to go after Chapin Beach after six furlongs run in 1:12.96. Take the Points made the lead at the five-sixteenths pole, then outdueled Straight Story in the stretch. Take the Points, a son of Even the Score trained by Todd Pletcher, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.51 over firm turf and returned $7.40.

"I think this horse is really finding himself now and learning how to run and learning how to finish off a race," said Pletcher, who won his first Grade 1 race in New York since English Channel took the 2007 Turf Classic."-DRF
 
Take The Points was a $160,000 yearling purchase from the 2007 Fasig July sale.

Our GI winner, Take The Points, will make his next start in the GI $300,000 Jamaica Handicap at Belmont on Saturday. It is a mile and one eighth turf stake for straight three year olds. He drew post position 6 of 7 and will be ridden by Edgar Prado. Post time for the race is 2:35. He has had a brief freshening since taking the GI Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park last time out and has been training very well into this weekend's race.
Take The Points is by Even The Score out of the Fred Astaire mare, Ginger Ginger. He cost $160,000 at the Fasig Tipton July Select yearling sale in 2007.

Ailalea scored a sharp 4 length victory yesterday at Belmont against a nice bunch of 2 year old fillies. Sent off at 6-1 she was content to track near the back of the pack down the backside in the mile maiden special event. On the turn she began to pick up horses one by one and turning for home, with a full head of stream, she rallied briefly with Quiet Temper (Quiet American) but dug in to ease away to score under little urging from Edgar Prado. Ailalea is by leading sire Pulpit out of the Woodman mare, Wood Sprite. She cost $340,000 at last year's Keeneland September yearling sale.

Ailalea is running in the 5th race at Belmont on Sunday. It is a maiden special weight for 2 year old fillies going a mile on the dirt. She drew post position 7 of 10 and Edgar Prado will be in the irons. Post time is 3:07.

Her half sister, Spritely, who is also trained by Todd Pletcher was back in the winner's circle yesterday. She won the $65,950 Quick Mischief Stakes. Spritely is by Touch Gold.

Our Giant's Causeway colt, Tiger's Rock, broke his maiden today in the first race at Kentucky Downs. He raced mid pack though out the mile and one half turf event under Orlando Mojica. Turning for home he galloped past tiring horses and drew away to win by almost 10 lengths. Tiger's Rock is out of the Afleet mare, Call Me Fleet. He was a $300,000 purchase at the Keeneland September 2007 yearling sale.

Our Giant's Causeway colt, Tiger's Rock will run on Saturday at Kentucky Downs. He is entered in the first race, a maiden special weight for three year olds and up going a mile and one half on the turf. He drew post position 7 of 9 and will be ridden by Orlando Mojica. Post time is 12:58.

Atom Splitter (pictured as a yearling) will make his racing debut at the same track on Monday in a maiden special weight race going six furlongs on the turf. He drew post position 1 of 12 and will also be ridden by Orlando Mojica. The race is carded as the 6th race that day and post time will be 4:00. Atom Splitter is by Mr. Greeley out of Angelina Capote (Capote).

Ailalea, who ran a fast closing second last time out at first asking will return in the second race on Sunday at Saratoga. It is a seven furlong maiden special weight and she drew post eight out of ten fillies. Edgar Prado will be in the irons. Post time will be 1:32.

Take The Points will make his next start in the GI $400,000 Secretariat Stakes at Arlington Park on Saturday. The race will be carded as the 7th race and will be run over a mile and a quarter distance on the turf. He drew post 7 of 11 and Kent Desormeaux will be in the irons. Post time will be 3:08 CST.

Starlight were busy yesterday at the opening session of the Fasig-Tipton yearling sale. We ended up with three horses.
Hip 189. A Rock Hard Ten filly out of the Nureyev mare, Nureyev's Encore for $200,000.
Hip 193. A Bellamy Road filly out an Out Of Place mare, Payable On Demand for $55,000.
Hip 246. A Medaglia d'Oro colt out of the Tejano mare, Tigresa for $310,000.

Rock Hard Ten - Nureyev's Encore filly. Purchased at Fasig-Tipton July for $200,000.

Bellamy Road - Payable On Demand filly. Purchased at Fasig-Tipton July for $55,000.

Medaglia d'Oro - Tigresa colt. Purchased at Fasig-Tipton July for $310,000.

Our More Than Ready 2 year old filly, Caminadora (pictured on left), will make her debut on Sunday at Churchill Downs. She is running in the 9th race, a maiden special weight for 2 year fillies going 6 furlongs on the dirt. She will have jockey Calvin Borel in the irons and will break from post 8 of 12. Post time is 4:59.

Odakota also runs on Sunday at Churchill. She is in the first race, a maiden claiming event going 7 furlongs on the dirt. She drew post 2 of 12 and Tony Farina rides. Post time is 12:45.

Senor Fuego will make his third lifetime start in the 10th race, a first level allowance race on Thursday night at Churchill Downs. It will be run over a mile distance. He will be ridden by Brian Hernandez and the post time is 10:42.