Strub Day at Santa Anita
February 9th 2012 05:41
Strub Day at Santa Anita
A contribution for Thoroughbreds Worldwide and RacingWrite by Vicki L Vinson.
words & photography by Vicki L Vinson.
Strub Day at Santa Anita was enhanced with a total of three nice stakes races on the card. The first stakes race was the Arcadia run at 1 mile on the turf. Heavily favored in the race was Mr. Commons following his win on opening day in the Sir Beaufort. He repeated his winning format sitting near the back of the pack and dividing horses down the stretch to draw off and win by one length. There was a steward’s inquiry following the race where on screen replays showed Massone apparently checking as Mr. Commons made his move. When Trevor Denman made the announcement that there would be no change you could tell the fans were in favor of that decision. Mr. Commons is trained by John Shirreffs for St. George Farm Racing and was ridden by Mike Smith. With his latest win Mr. Commons is already looking like an early favorite for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile, a race that was won by his sire Artie Schiller in 2005.
Mr. Commons heads to the winner’s circle with trainer John Shirreffs (cap & glasses)
Next up was the running of the Robert B. Lewis Stakes which is commonly used as an early prep race on the Derby trail. The horses were delayed arriving trackside for several minutes while a loose horse from the a previous turf race was chased around the oval a couple times before being escorted off the track by an outrider. The favorite was the Bob Baffert trained Liaison but he ran into some trouble in the stretch apparently clipping heels with another horse and unseated his jockey Rafael Bejarano. The race was won by the outsider I’ll Have Another which at 43-1 surely knocked a lot of people out of their Pick 6 tickets that day. I’ll Have Another was ridden by Mario Gutierrez who had moved his tack in from western Canada for the first time this season; this was undoubtedly the biggest win of his career. The winner is by Flower Alley out of the Arch mare Arch’s Gal Edith for trainer Doug O’Neill moving him into a tie with Bob Baffert for leading trainer bragging rights with 68 wins each.
I’ll Have Another leads the way as jockey Rafael Bejarano is caught mid-air before hitting the ground
Final feature of the day was the 65th running of the Strub Stakes which is the final leg of a three race series each year limited to the newly turned 4 year olds before they have to join their elders in future races. Heavy favorite for the race was the Steve Asmussen trained Tapizar who ran close to the lead most of the race before tiring in the stretch. The race was won by Ultimate Eagle who was racing on a conventional dirt track for the first time. Winning in gate to wire fashion and drawing off to a 7 ¼ length margin I guess it is fair to assume he liked the dirt. Ultimate Eagle is a dark bay colt out of the sire Mizzen Mast and was ridden by Martin Pedroza for trainer Michael Pender. The race should set up nicely as a final prep for the Santa Anita Handicap next month.
Ultimate Eagle pulls away in the stretch to win the Strub Stakes easily
A contribution for Thoroughbreds Worldwide and RacingWrite by Vicki L Vinson.
words & photography by Vicki L Vinson.
Strub Day at Santa Anita was enhanced with a total of three nice stakes races on the card. The first stakes race was the Arcadia run at 1 mile on the turf. Heavily favored in the race was Mr. Commons following his win on opening day in the Sir Beaufort. He repeated his winning format sitting near the back of the pack and dividing horses down the stretch to draw off and win by one length. There was a steward’s inquiry following the race where on screen replays showed Massone apparently checking as Mr. Commons made his move. When Trevor Denman made the announcement that there would be no change you could tell the fans were in favor of that decision. Mr. Commons is trained by John Shirreffs for St. George Farm Racing and was ridden by Mike Smith. With his latest win Mr. Commons is already looking like an early favorite for this year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile, a race that was won by his sire Artie Schiller in 2005.
Mr. Commons heads to the winner’s circle with trainer John Shirreffs (cap & glasses)
Next up was the running of the Robert B. Lewis Stakes which is commonly used as an early prep race on the Derby trail. The horses were delayed arriving trackside for several minutes while a loose horse from the a previous turf race was chased around the oval a couple times before being escorted off the track by an outrider. The favorite was the Bob Baffert trained Liaison but he ran into some trouble in the stretch apparently clipping heels with another horse and unseated his jockey Rafael Bejarano. The race was won by the outsider I’ll Have Another which at 43-1 surely knocked a lot of people out of their Pick 6 tickets that day. I’ll Have Another was ridden by Mario Gutierrez who had moved his tack in from western Canada for the first time this season; this was undoubtedly the biggest win of his career. The winner is by Flower Alley out of the Arch mare Arch’s Gal Edith for trainer Doug O’Neill moving him into a tie with Bob Baffert for leading trainer bragging rights with 68 wins each.
I’ll Have Another leads the way as jockey Rafael Bejarano is caught mid-air before hitting the ground
Final feature of the day was the 65th running of the Strub Stakes which is the final leg of a three race series each year limited to the newly turned 4 year olds before they have to join their elders in future races. Heavy favorite for the race was the Steve Asmussen trained Tapizar who ran close to the lead most of the race before tiring in the stretch. The race was won by Ultimate Eagle who was racing on a conventional dirt track for the first time. Winning in gate to wire fashion and drawing off to a 7 ¼ length margin I guess it is fair to assume he liked the dirt. Ultimate Eagle is a dark bay colt out of the sire Mizzen Mast and was ridden by Martin Pedroza for trainer Michael Pender. The race should set up nicely as a final prep for the Santa Anita Handicap next month.
Ultimate Eagle pulls away in the stretch to win the Strub Stakes easily
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Comment by Leonard Marlborough
on Melbourne Cup nominations: early thoughts
Racing Write
I agree with your views on Unsung Heroine. She was a very good staying juvenile in England - her St Leger effort behind Conduit was very good. A second to Conduit looks to be an exceptional form line. Be very interested to see her Australian debut.
Vigor has the advantage of being adaptable and able to get up on the speed. Would need to take another step up this campaign to beat the very best though - but that may not be beyond him (his current speedfigures not quite at Group One level).
Changingoftheguard (racing tomorrow in UK) is another likely visitor of great interest.
Speed Gifted looked sensational with his Winter win here - but just average speedfigures. But he can only improve over ground (and what a brilliant turn of foot!).
Shocking could be anything this next campaign.
Can’t discount Master O’Reilly either as he has had superior staying speedfigures for the past two years now.
and...
Hopefully Luca Cumani will improve his recent Italian acquisition, Basaltico, and bring him to Melbourne. The Melbourne Spring would not be the same without the ‘Cumani’s’ in attendance.