Coiled and Ready to Strike in Haskell Staying Power
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SUNDAY, JULY 31, 2011 For information about TDN, call 732-747-8060. COILED AND READY TO STRIKE IN HASKELL THREE-PEAT FOR MIDDAY Trainer Bob Baffert has a remarkable record in Sent off the 6-4 favorite in the absence of her chief Monmouth Park=s GI Haskell Invitational S. Since 1997, opponent Misty For Me (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), Khalid Baffert has sent seven colts to contest the nine-panel Abdullah=s Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) justified test. The first, Anet (Clever that confidence to bring up a Trick), ran second at 5-1. third consecutive renewal of He was followed by Glorious Goodwood=s G1 Nassau Forestry (Storm Cat), third S. yesterday. Connections were as the 8-5 second choice in left befuddled by her dramatic 1999, and Captain Steve eclipse in the G1 Pretty Polly S. (Fly So Free), beaten just at The Curragh last time June 3/4 of a length when 25, but the old air of authority second to Dixie Union was back here as she dealt with (Dixieland Band) as the 8-5 Snow Fairy (Ire) (Intikhab) with chalk in 2000. That was the minimum of fuss. Settled in the last time a Baffert behind the steady early pace by trainee was beaten in the Tom Queally, the bay took over Racing Post/Edward Whitaker Bob Baffert after 2010 Haskell Jersey Shore=s signature with a quarter mile remaining Equi-Photo race. Point Given (Thunder and despite veering in front, as she had 12 months ago, Gulch), bet down to 3-10, was in no danger en route to a two-length score. In gave the snow-capped conditioner his first Haskell win doing so, she was registering a record eighth win in this in 2001; he was followed by 3-10 War Emblem (Our contest for her trainer Sir Henry Cecil, and also became Emblem) in 2002, even-money Roman Ruler (Fusaichi the most successful horse to represent Warren Place at Pegasus) in 2005 and 6-5 Lookin At Lucky (Smart Group 1 level, having now racked up a total of six in Strike) in 2010. Suffice it to say, Baffert doesn=t head that category. AShe=s a marvelous mare and has been a to the Shore just to get another hot dog at Max=s. This bit unlucky not to have won two or three more Group year, he brings in the lightly raced Coil (Point Given), 1s,@ Cecil said. AWhat happened last time in Ireland, I=ll who makes his sixth start as he bids to follow in the never know, but she was beaten by a very good filly hoofsteps of his sire. The chestnut capped a three-race there.@ Cont. p2 winning streak with a one-length tally in the GIII Affirmed H. at Hollywood June 11. He battled bravely in his latest, the July 9 GII Swaps S., but got caught late and ran second by a head. Comparing the colt to his quartet of Haskell heroes, Baffert said, AThey were farther along--they were already proven really good horses. I'm just hoping that Coil is this good. We=re going to find out a lot about him. He's trained really well, I think he's going to run a big race.@ The colt makes his conventional dirt debut. Cont. p6 STAYING POWER Sent off at 5-2 after his runner-up effort in the GI Belmont S., Repole Stable=s Stay Thirsty (Bernardini) rolled from the middle of the pack to take the GII Jim Dandy S. by four lengths. Cont. p4 ZAGORAPHOBIA Zagora (Fr) (Green Tune), on the board in her first four U.S. tries, finally broke through with a rallying success in the GI Diana S. Cont. p3 P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 7/31/11 • PAGE 2 of 10 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Saturday, Goodwood, Britain MARKEL INSURANCE NASSAU S.-G1, ,185,000, Goodwood, 7-30, 3yo/up, f/m, 9f 192ydsT, 2:07.72, gd/fm. 1--MIDDAY (GB), 132, m, 5, by Oasis Dream (GB) 1st Dam: Midsummer (GB) (SP-Eng), by Kingmambo 2nd Dam: Modena, by Roberto 3rd Dam: Mofida (GB), by Right Tack (GB) O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms; T-H Cecil; J-T Queally; ,104,914. Lifetime Record: Hwt. Older Mare-Eng at 9.5-11f & 11-14f, G1SW-Fr, GISW-US, MG1SP-Ire &, 20-9-6-3, ,2,018,827. Werk Nick Rating: A. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. 2--Snow Fairy (Ire), 132, f, 4, Intikhab--Woodland Dream (Ire), by Charnwood Forest (Ire). (i1,800 yrl '08 TATFLT). O-Anamoine Ltd; B-Windflower Overseas Holdings Inc; T-Ed Dunlop; ,39,775. 3--Principal Role, 132, f, 4, Empire Maker--Interim (GB), by Sadler=s Wells. O-Khalid Abdullah; B-Juddmonte Farms Inc; T-Henry Cecil; ,19,906. Margins: 2, 1 1/4, NK. Odds: 6-4, 5-2, 12-1. Also Ran: Crystal Capella (GB), Barefoot Lady (Ire), Field Day (Ire). Scratched: Misty For Me (Ire). Click for the Racing Post chart, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, courtesy Racing UK. Highly reliable over the past three seasons, Midday had been out of the exacta on only two of her last 15 starts and when beaten always made sure that her opponent had been in a fight. This term, she started out with a comfortable win in York=s G2 Middleton S. over this trip May 12 before going under by a length to St Nicholas Abbey (Ire) (Montjeu {Ire}) in Epsom=s June 3 G1 Coronation Cup. Widely considered to have gone for home too soon in that contest, the homebred was hammered into 1-3 for the Pretty Polly, but never got a look-in as Misty For Me (Ire) (Galielo {Ire}) quickened away from her on rain-softened ground. That six-length defeat cast a cloud over her entering this renewal, but when Ballydoyle announced that her chief rival was not shipping in, the portents were strong for Midday=s record bid. Always traveling comfortably in behind a steady pace set, she moved to the fore with ease at the top of the stretch and had only the following Snow Fairy to worry about from the quarter pole. Running around in the clear, as she had done when toying with Stacelita (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) here 12 months ago, she was mainly hand ridden to safely hold the runner-up. AShe=s the queen of Goodwood--she loves it here,@ Tom Queally commented. AWhen I asked her to quicken, I was conscious that Frankie [Dettori] was there or thereabouts [on Snow Fairy] stalking me, so I gave her a smack to make her mind up. She=s very special and an absolute sweetheart.@ Henry Cecil has a tilt at a second G1 Yorkshire Oaks in mind now. AAll going well, she=ll go for the [Aug. 18] Yorkshire Oaks and, after that, we=ll just leave it completely open,@ he said. AWe=ll feel our way and let her tell us--I=m not going to tell her what to do.@ P TDN HEADLINE NEWS • 7/31/11 • PAGE 3 of 10 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Saturday, Saratoga DIANA S.-GI, $500,000, SAR, 7-30, 3yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8mT, 1:49, gd. 1--sZAGORA (FR), 118, f, 4, by Green Tune 1st Dam: Zaneton (Fr), by Mtoto (GB) 2nd Dam: Party Zane, by Zafonic 3rd Dam: Party Doll, by Be My Guest (i95,000 yrl '08 ARQAUG). O-Martin S Schwartz; B-E Puerari & Oceanic Bloodstock (FR); T-Chad C Brown; J-Javier Castellano; $300,000. Lifetime Record: MGSW-Fr, 13-5-4-2, $676,510. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A++. 2--Aruna, 118, f, 4, Mr. Greeley--Surya, by Unbridled. O/B-Flaxman Holdings (KY); T-H G Motion; $100,000. 3--Bay to Bay, 120, f, 4, Sligo Bay (Ire)--Bala, by With Approval. ($35,000 yrl '08 KEESEP). O-R Smithen; B-Adena Springs (FL); T-Brian A Lynch; $50,000. Hidden Brook sold for Adena Springs Dam purchased by EQWOS BLOODSTOCK Margins: 1HF, NK, HF. Odds: 5.80, 3.20, 7.40. Also Ran: Mekong Melody (Ire), Aviate (GB), Dyna Waltz (GB), Unbridled Humor, Justaroundmidnight (Ire), Giants Play. Scratched: Romacaca. Click for the brisnet.com chart, the brisnet.com PPs or the free brisnet.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Taylor Made. Twice a Group 3 winner in France last year, Zagora ended her European stint with a close-up third in the G3 Prix de la Nonette at Deauville last August. The chestnut opened her U.S. account with a second in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland last October before going from Jean-Claude Rouget to Chad Zagora settled in fifth under stout restraint as Brown. A neck runner-up in the GIII Hillsborough S. previously undefeated favorite Unbridled Humor Mar. 12 at Tampa in her first start for Brown, she was (Distorted Humor) cut out fractions of :25.20 and third over a yielding Keeneland sod in the Apr. 16 :50.31. The pacesetter was GII Jenny Wiley S. The 4-year-old just missed in her starting to feel the heat as latest, closing with purpose despite glacial fractions in they clicked off six panels in the 10-furlong GII New York S. at Belmont June 25. 1:14.02, but jockey Javier Her late kick carried her to the wire first this time. Castellano still had Zagora on hold in midpack.