*^05 DAILY NEWS" August 30, 1999 Iv INTERNATIONAL A
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* The TDN is delivered each morning by 5 a.m. Eastern. For subscription information, please call (732} 747-8060. - THOROUGHBRED i—r—Monday, *^05 DAILY NEWS" August 30, 1999 iV INTERNATIONAL A GENERALLY UNCHALLENGED STAR OF THE BALL: CHILUKKI WINS DEBUTANTE A pace-prompting two-length victory in the Gil Santa Chllukki (Cherokee Run), the dominant force of this Catalina S. set General Challenge {General Meeting) year's two-year-old filly division, entered yesterday's Gl squarely on the Triple Crown trail, a course which was Vinery Del Mar Debutante with a perfect four-for-four altered temporarily by a very disappointing run when record, three graded stakes wins and two track records fifth in the Gil Louisiana Derby in March. Baffert added to her credit. The Del Mar bettors sent her off the pro blinkers for the gelding's next run, and the long chest hibitive 1-5 favorite, but it wasn't as easy as all that. nut responded with an authoritative victory in the Gl The Bob Baffert trainee dueled for the early lead while Santa Anita Derby, an effort which propelled him, along in tight along the rail, and appeared home free as she with entrymate Excellent Meeting into Derby favoritism. spurted clear at the top of the lane. But The Thorough Bumped, checked and six wide at various times in the bred Corp.'s Spain (Thunder Gulch) charged from the race, the Cal-bred emerged 11th and was rested until a back of the pack to cut Chilukki's three-length lead two-length success in the June 26 Gill Affirmed and down to one length at the wire. Despite his dwindling was most recently a bang-up second in the July 18 Gl advantage, winning rider David Flores said, "She was Swaps. Passing on the Haskell and Travers against playing around (in the stretch). I know she looked like fellow sophomores, Baffert entered his charge against she was tired, but she wasn't. She just didn't have any older horses for the first time in the Gl Pacific Classic. competition. When that other filly (Spain) came to her, General Challenge, with blinkers added once again, she went again." Trainer Bob Baffert added, "I was broke cleanly under jockey David Flores and was ma scared to death when I saw :22 1/5 and :44. They're neuvered to the rail to save ground into the back- vulnerable at seven furlongs. She'll never have to go stretch. Flores had a handful of horse in between rivals :44 3/5 again. It set up for a horse to come off the nearing the four-furlong marker and guided his mount pace today." Jockey Gary Stevens, recently returned through an opening approaching the far turn. General from a stint in England, almost pulled the 16-1 upset Challenge opened two lengths at the quarter pole as stablemate River Keen (Ire) (Keen {GB}) loomed the sole with Spain. "Going into the race, it didn't look like there threat, but the three-year-old was able to hold his more was any way we were going to beat (Chilukki)," Ste seasoned opponent safe for the victory. Maiek (Chi) vens explained. "(Spain's) people said they'd just be (Mocito Guapo {Arg}), the 6-5 favorite, never reached happy with a placing. Then at the eighth pole, I thought contention and finished fifth, beaten 11 3/4 lengths. I was going to win it." At the start of the race, "He never looked like he was into the race," said trainer longshot Princes Melissa (Marquetry) ducked in sharply Richard Mandella. The success of General Challenge is and jumped the inner rail, dumping rider Garrett Gomez. reminiscent of the performance turned in by another The filly suffered only minor lacerations in the accident Golden Eagle three-year-old gelding, the late Best Pal, and Gomez was uninjured. Chilukki's victory gave who won the inaugural Pacific Classic in 1991. Owner Baffert and Flores the Del Mar stakes daily double. The Betty Mabee was overcome with emotion. "When I saw pair teamed up to take the Pacific Classic with General at the quarter pole that he had the lead and was going Challenge. (Chart p. 2} to win, I just started crying. It was very emotional," she said. The victory capped a trying week for the Mabees, EXCELLENT MEETING INJURED Multiple Grade I as their Excellent Meeting was forced to the sidelines winning three-year-old Excellent Meeting (General Meet with an bone chip in her ankle. "I'm glad that's over. ing) will miss the rest of the year after a bone chip was The Mabees need that," said winning conditioner Bob discovered in her ankle, according to a report in Daily Baffert. "This horse has so much talent. What you saw Racing Form. The filly will have surgery Tuesday and is today was just the tip of the iceberg." Flores added, "1 expected to miss five months of training. Owner John had confidence in him today. When we hit the back Mabee told the Form, x-rays showed the chip was likely side, I let him open up some and then at the three there since Excellent Meeting's runner-up finish in last eighths, I let him roll. Turning for home, I didn't think year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The filly finished anybody was going to beat him." (Chart p. 2) next to last in the Aug. 22 Gl Del Mar Oaks. EXCUSE MEp GENTLEMEN Breed to the winner of over $3-million lifetime, whose eleven Graded Stakes wins include the Pacific Classic-Gl and the Hollywood Gold Cup-Gl. • I Winning the world over ' W • W • 606 299.0473 • 606 299.1259 Fax TDN INTERNATIONAL » 8/30/99 * PAGE 2 Saturday, Saratoga A RESULTS A SARATOGA BREEDERS' CUP H.-GII, $300,000, SAR, Sunday, Del Mar 8-29, 3yo/up, 1 1/4m, 2:01, ft. PACIFIC CLASSIC-GI, $1,180,000, OMR, 8-29, 3yo/up, 1-RUNNING STAG, 122, h, 5, by Cozzene 1 1/4m, 2:00 2/5, ft. 1st Dam: Fruhllngstag (Fr) (GISP-Fr), by *Orsini II 1 -GENERAL CHALLENGE, 117, g, 3, by General Meeting 2nd Dam: Revada, by Iron Liege 1st Dam: Excellent Lady, by Smarten 3rd Dam: Dalama, by Djebel (Fr) 2nd Dam: Northern Sea, by Northern Dancer 0-Cohen Richard J; B-Juddmonte Farms (KY); T-Philip 3rd Dam: Sea Saga, by *Sea Bird Mitchell; J-S J Sellers; $180,000. Lifetime Record: O-Golden Eagle Farm; B-Mr & Mrs John C Mabee 27-5-8-2, $820,259. (OA); T-Bob Baffert; J-D R Flores; $700,000. Lifetime 2-Catienus, 115, h, 5, Storm Cat-Diamond City, by Record: 9-6-1-0, $1,517,900. Mr. Prospector. 0-Ramsey Kenneth L& Sarah K; 2~River Keen (Ire), 124, h, 7, Keen (GBj-immediate B-Darley Stud Management Inc (KY); $60,000. impact (Ire), by Caerleon. (23,364gns yrl 93 G00C1). 3-Golden Missile, 115, c, 4, A.P. Indy-Santa Catalina, 0-Reynolds Hugo; B-Baliylinch Stud Ltd (Ire); by Cure the Blues. ($220,000 wing '95 KEENOV). $248,000. 0-Stronach Stable; B-Lunsford W Bruce (KY); 3-Barter Town, 124, c, 4, Cox's Ridge-Sunday Bazaar, $33,000. by Nureyev. 0-Juddmonte Farms Inc; B-Juddmonte Margins: HF, HF, 8HF. Odds: 1.00, 4.10, 6.00. Farms (KY); $144,000. Also Ran: Early Warning, Nite Dreamer, Tejano Couture, Margins: 3, 2 1/4, 2. Odds: 2.60, 7.00, 7.90. Mt. Sassafras, Fire and Rain. Also Ran: Lazy Lode (Arg), Maiek (Chi), Smile Again, Scratched: Black Cash. Jack Grandi (Brz), Such Charisma. The globetrotting Running Stag opened 1999 with a seventh-place effort in the Dubai World Cup before NTRAPts: lst-20, 2nd-12, 3rd-8 running second in England's Shergar Cup in May. Shipped to the U.S. for his next two starts, the bay ran Sunday, Del Mar a game second behind Behrens in the Gil MassCap and VINERY DEL MAR DEBUTANTE S.-GI, $250,000, OMR, came home first in the June 12 Gil Brooklyn H. before 8-29, 2yo, f, 7f, 1:23 2/5, ft. heading back to England for a fifth-place finish in the 1 -CHILUKKI, 121, f, 2, by Cherokee Run July 3 Gl Eclipse S. Running Stag stalked the paceset 1st Dam: Song of Syria, by Damascus. ters here, took over when asked at the top of the 2nd Dam: Passerine, by Dr. Fager stretch and held off the late challenge of Catienus to 3rd Dam: Pashamin, by My Babu the wire. "This horse lugs in a bit when he gets in front ($100,000 yrl '98 KEESEP; $875,000 2yo 1999 and he tried to do that again today, but when he heard FTFFEB). 0-Stonerside Stable; B-Dr & Mrs R Smiser the other horse (Catienus) coming, he dug down deep," West & Mr & Mrs Mackenzie Miller; T-Bob Baffert; explained winning rider Shane Sellers. "He's a real J-D R Flores; $150,000. Lifetime Record: 5-5-0-0, phenomenal horse to be able to go back and forth $442,723. across the ocean like he does." Trainer Philip Mitchell 2-Spain, 115, f, 2, Thunder Gulch-Drina, by Regal and said his charge will race next in the Sept. 18 Gl Wood Royal. ($25,000 yrl '98 KEESEP). 0/B-The ward at Belmont and then head to Hong Kong in De Thoroughbred Corporation (KY); $50,000. cember for the Hong Kong Cup.