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War Heroine Holds On To San Clemente Victory

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In Sunday’s co-featured $200,000 San Clemente Stakes at Del Mar, War Heroine and jockey Tyler Baze barely held off the fast-closing Ollie’s Candy to win by a neck, with 5-2 favored Ms Bad Behavior only another neck away in third place. Ahimsa was fourth in the field of 13 three-year-old fillies.

“She’s an extremely fast filly; extremely fast,” said Baze. “But it isn’t so much about the speed, it’s about how they’re expanding their energy. She was doing it well today.  I knew she was good for a mile; she’s all heart. She loves to stick her neck out and win. She’s tough.”

War Heroine, a daughter of Lonhro owned by Gary Barber and trained by Peter Miller, accomplished the mile over the turf in 1:34.90 and returned $13.80, $7.80 and $4.80. The win was her fourth in six starts and first prize of $120,000  almost doubled her earnings to $240,945.

“She reminds me a lot of Belvoir Bay; small but mighty,” Miller said. “She’s got a big heart and a lot of speed. I didn’t think we’d be on the lead and I told Tyler she doesn’t need to be, but if they give it to you take it. He rode a super race, got reasonable fractions and she really kicked home strong. I see no reason not to try her in the Del Mar Oaks. I think that’s the move and that’s what we’ll do.”

Runner-up Ollie’s Candy returned $8.60 and $5 while Ms Bad Behavior paid $3.20 to show.

The San Clemente is a prelude to the Grade I $300,000 Del Mar Oaks, also on Saturday, August 18.

The post War Heroine Holds On To San Clemente Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Catalina Cruiser Easily Wires Scratch-Depleted San Diego Handicap

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Scratched down to a field of five on Saturday, the G2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar nevertheless saw a strong performance from Hronis Racing’s Catalina Cruiser. The 4-year-old Union Rags colt led throughout for trainer John Sadler, crossing the wire 6 3/4 lengths ahead of his nearest rival. Off as the 6-5 favorite under jockey Drayden Van Duke, Catalina Cruiser covered 1 1/16 miles over the fast main track in 1:42.95.

“The nickname of this horse around the barn is ‘The best horse nobody’s heard of.’” said Sadler. “Today we changed it to ‘the next big thing.’ We’ve loved this horse from day one. He’s showed a lot of potential, but we’ve had to be patient with him. Today he showed us what we thought he could do. We’re not going to run two in the Pacific Classic. We’re going to run one horse to be determined. We’re going to see how these horses (Accelerate, Catalina Cruiser) train over the track and pull up.”

The expected morning-line favorite, Accelerate, owned and trained by the same connections as the winner, was scratched in favor of a possible next start on the east coast.

Catalina Cruiser took command shortly after the start of the mile and one-sixteenth race, rated comfortably on the lead and drew off impressively when asked in the stretch, scoring by six and three-quarter lengths. Dr. Dorr, who pressed the pace throughout, held second, a length and three-quarters in front of Dabster, with Two Thirty Five fourth in the field of five older Thoroughbreds. Harlan Punch completed the field.

“He felt good all the way; nice and relaxed,” said Van Dyke. “He’s a super talented horse. I knew that right from the beginning. John (trainer John Sadler) said ‘Just get him comfortable.’ He didn’t care if I was in front or coming from off it.  I figured we’d be in front – as long as someone didn’t do something stupid. Then he really pulled me into that first turn and he was going easy from there. Big race for him.”

Bred in Kentucky by W.S. Farish, Catalina Cruiser was a $370,000 yearling purchase at the Keeneland September sale. Undefeated in three career starts, the colt has earned $183,600.

The winner returned $4.60, $2.80 and $2.40. He carried 115 pounds. Runner-up Dr. Dorr paid $3.40 and $2.60, while Dabster returned $2.60 to show.

The San Diego Handicap is the major steppingstone to the Grade I $1 million TVG Pacific Classic which will be run Saturday, August 18 at a mile and one-quarter.

The post Catalina Cruiser Easily Wires Scratch-Depleted San Diego Handicap appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Rowayton Another Impressive Debut Winner for Best

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Larry Best’s OXO Equine, which got the Del Mar meet off to a scintillating start with the ‘TDN Rising Star’ performance of Brill (Medaglia d’Oro) last Wednesday, celebrated another impressive debut victory when Rowayton (c, 2, Into Mischief-Rosemonde, by Indian Charlie) reported home an easy 1 1/2-length winner at the oceanside oval Saturday. The 4-5 favorite contested the early pace with 27-1 longshot Truck Salesman (Can the Man) through fractions of :22.35 and :46.00. He put that foe away entering the stretch and strode clear with authority before being geared down late as Dueling (Violence) rallied belatedly for second. Pirate’s Punch (Shanghai Bobby) was third. The time for the five furlongs was :58.61.

Rowayton, a $320,000 FTSAUG yearling, is the first foal out of the unraced Rosemonde. The mare is a half-sister to Canadian champion Miss Mischief (Into Mischief). Best also owns ‘TDN Rising Star’ Instagrand (Into Mischief), a first-out winner at Los Alamitos in June. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $36,000. O-OXO Equine LLC. B-H Allen Poindexter. T-Jerry Hollendorfer.

War Heroine Battles to San Clemente Win

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Gary Barber’s War Heroine, tabbed a ‘TDN Rising Star’ after her debut win over the main track at Del Mar last November, held on to a fast-diminishing advantage to earn her first graded victory Saturday evening. The 5-1 shot set the pace through fractions of :22.85 and 46.85 with Ms Bad Behavior a tracking second. She grimly held off the stretch-long challenge of that foe and had just enough left to hold off the late-rallying Ollie’s Candy to get the job done.

War Heroine, who opened her sophomore campaign with a sixth-place effort in the Jan. 7 GII Santa Ynez S., moved to the lawn to win the Feb. 11 Sweet Life S. down the hill at Santa Anita. Fifth as the favorite when shipped east and stretched to a mile for the Mar. 3 Busher S. at Aqueduct, she was making her first start since winning an optional claimer back turf sprinting in Arcadia Apr. 29.

“She’s an extremely fast filly; extremely fast,” said winning rider Tyler Baze. “But it isn’t so much about the speed, it’s about how they’re expending their energy. She was doing it well today. I knew she was good for a mile; she’s all heart. She loves to stick her neck out and win. She’s tough.”

Trainer Peter Miller echoed Baze’s sentiments, comparing War Heroine to his MGSW trainee Belvoir Bay (GB) (Equiano {Fr}), who is also co-owned by War Heroine’s owner Gary Barber.

“She reminds me a lot of Belvoir Bay–small but mighty. She’s got a big heart and a lot of speed. I didn’t think we’d be on the lead and I told Tyler she doesn’t need to be, but if they give it to you, take it. He rode a super race, got reasonable fractions and she really kicked home strong. I see no reason not to try her in the [1 1/8-mile GI] Del Mar Oaks [Aug. 18]. I think that’s the move and that’s what we’ll do.”

Saturday, Del Mar
SAN CLEMENTE S.-GII, $202,760, Del Mar, 7-21, 3yo, f, 1mT, 1:34.90, fm.
1–WAR HEROINE, 120, f, 3, by Lonhro (Aus)
1st Dam: War Tigress (SW, $171,293), by War Chant
2nd Dam: Tigresa, by Tejano
3rd Dam: Tiff’s Decorated, by Well Decorated
‘TDN Rising Star‘ 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($37,000 Ylg ’16
KEESEP). O-Gary Barber; B-Waymore, LLC (KY); T-Peter Miller;
J-Tyler Baze. $120,000. Lifetime Record: 6-4-0-0, $240,945.
Werk Nick Rating: A.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Ollie’s Candy, 123, f, 3, Candy Ride (Arg)–Afternoon Stroll, by
Stroll. ($45,000 RNA Ylg ’16 KEESEP). O/B-Paul & Karen Eggert
(KY); T-William E. Morey. $40,000.
3–Ms Bad Behavior, 120, f, 3, Blame–Cumulonimble, by Stormy
Atlantic. ($75,000 Ylg ’16 KEESEP). O-Sayjay Racing LLC, Greg
Hall & Brooke Hubbard; B-Ron Clarkson (ON); T-Richard Baltas.
$24,000.
Margins: NK, NK, 3/4. Odds: 5.90, 5.00, 2.50.
Also Ran: Ahimsa, Flammetta, Animosity, West Palm Beach (Ire), Ms Peintour, Miss Sienna (GB), Lexington Grace (Ire), Dulce Ride, Rockin Ready, Pursuing The Dream (Ire). Scratched: Streak of Luck. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.

Pedigree Notes:
Tom Conway and Charlie Moore of Waymore LLC paid $80,000 for the San Clemente winner’s stakes-winning dam–who raced almost exclusively on the turf–at the 2011 Keeneland November sale. War Tigress’s now 2-year-old Curlin colt was a $550,000 KEESEP yearling. Unraced and in Japan, he is named Washington Tesoro. Conway and Moore bred another $550,000 KEESEP colt by Curlin the previous year in this season’s GIII Matt Win S. romper King Zachary, who Conway bought Moore out of via the auction. War Tigress produced a Liam’s Map colt Mar. 28.