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Derby & Auction Prices Santa Anita Derby Day Wood Memorial Day Derby Future Pool 6 Kentucky Derby Contenders |
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 Romacaca in the winner's circle after the Taylor Made Matchmaker Stakes (G3). |
The 38,895 fans who came out to Monmouth Park on Sunday for the Haskell Invitational enjoyed 7 stakes races on the undercard. Spectators and participants enjoyed a sunny day with temperatures in the upper 80's, with a fast main track and firm turf course.
The richest race on the undercard is the $207,500 Taylor Made Matchmaker Stakes (G3) for older fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on the turf, run immediately before the Haskell. C.S. Silk was sent off as the 5-2 favorite in the field of 10 off her win in the Just a Game (G1) at Belmont, over 7-2 second choice Ravi's Song, second in the Mint Julep (G3) at Churchill last out, and 5-1 third choice Romacaca, winner of 4 straight including the Miss Liberty, the local prep for this race.
37-1 longest shot Marquet Madness set an uncontested pace of 23.75, 47.02, and 1:10.97 while as many as 3 lengths in front of Romacaca stalking her in second, in turn 2 1/2 lengths in front of the rest of the field. Into the stretch, Marquet Madness tired allowing Romacaca to inherit the lead, and she opened up a 2 length advantage in mid-stretch through 1 mile in 1:34.51. Ravi's Song put in a late rally from 7th but Romacaca easily held her off by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:46.54 over the firm course. It was just a nose back to 7-1 Perfect Shirl third, while favorite C.S. Silk was bumped at the start, raced back in 6th, and was eased late.
Results Chart from DRF
Left: Romacaca returns after the race. Her jockey E.T. Baird said, "She broke really well. There were some others in there who had speed, so I just let her come out running. She relaxed well enough to have something left in the end."
Right: Romacaca in the post parade.
A field of 7 older horses contested the $200,000 Oceanport Stakes (G3) at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. Baryshnikov was sent off as the 9-5 favorite off of second place finishes in the Dixie (G2) at Pimlico and the Firecracker (G2) at Churchill. In to challenge him included 3-1 second choice Workin for Hops, 10th in the King Edward (G2) at Woodbine after winning the Hanshin Handicap (G3) at Arlington, and 4-1 third choice Violon Sacre, making his 2011 debut after finishing 7th in the San Gabriel (G2) at Santa Anita in December.
10-1 Sayif was sent to the lead by Channing Hill and he was pressed the whole way by 9-1 Yummy With Butter through fractions of 24.81, 48.57, and 1:11.83, with Workon for Hops stalking the lead pair in third. Sayif held the lead to the 1/16 pole but Yummy With Butter outfinished him late to win by 1 1/4 length in 1:40.98 over the firm turf course. It was another 1/2 length back to late-running favorite Baryshikov third.
Results Chart from DRF
Left: Yummy With Butter returns after the race. His jockey Paco Lopez said, "I rode this horse his last two starts and he just couldn't get to (Sayif) last time but that race was at a mile. Today there was extra distance, and I wanted to keep the horse more involved early in the race. Turning for home he was able to outkick the leader and get the job done."
Right: Third place finisher and beaten favorite Baryshnikov in the paddock.
Kicking off the stakes action on Haskell day was the $105,200 Regret Stakes, which featured a field of 8 older fillies and mares sprinting 6 furlongs on the main track. 7-2 second choice Feel That Fire battled for the early lead with 5-1 Love That Dance and 10-1 Bronx City Girl through fractions of 22.21 and 44.61. Feel That Fire tired into the stretch allowing Bronx City Girl to take a short lead at the 1/8 pole through 5f in 56.35, but 7-1 Magical Feeling, last out of the chute, closed late to get up by a head in 1:08.63. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to Love That Dance third, while 2-1 favorite Hour Glass was fourth.
Results Chart from DRF
Magical Feeling gets a pat before going to the winner's circle. Her trainer Allen Iwinski said, "I actually expected her to be a little closer to the pace but (Feel That Fire) just went so fast early. I think that set-up helped us. Robby (Alvarado Jr.) gave her a great ride. He got through all the holes. I'm so emotional talking about this filly. There's nothing you can say about a horse that gives her all every single time."
A field of 7 three-year-olds contested the $101,500 Jersey Derby at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. 8-1 Moonhanger dueled with 10-1 J Isle through fractions of 23.77, 48.56, and 1:12.20, with 6-5 favorite Breathless Storm stalking them third. Entering the stretch, Breathless Storm passed the tiring pacesetters to win by 1 3/4 length over late-running 7-2 Beachcombing in 1:41.06 over firm turf. It was another 2 3/4 lengths back to Moonhanger third.
Results Chart from DRF
Breathless Storm heads to the winner's circle. Andrew St. Lawrence, assistant to trainer Kiaran McLaughlin said, "I thought he was a little forwardly placed early because last time he was 14-15 lengths behind. But there wasn't as much speed in there today. Paco (Lopez) looked confident the whole way, so that gave me confidence."
The $100,400 Majestic Light Stakes featured a field of 6 older horses going 1 1/16 miles on the main track. 9-2 Southern Ridge was quickest away getting the opening quarter in 23.56 before allowing 22-1 Hermosillo and 7-2 Motovato to move to the front through a half in 47.03 and 3/4 in 1:11.22, while being stalked by 3-1 Kensei. Even-money favorite Soaring Empire, last early, closed 4 wide into the stretch, passing Kensei inside the 1/16 pole to win by 3/4 length in 1:41.68. It was another 1/2 length back to 30-1 longest shot Cactus Charlie third.
Results Chart from DRF
Soaring Empire in the post parade. His jockey Julien Leparoux said, "Having the inside post, I didn't want to push him out of there. He broke well and I just left him alone early in the race. He settled down nicely for me. He started moving steadily down the backside and I became confident we were going to win at the five-eighths pole. I knew I had a ton of horse under me, and he once he got rolling he kept on going."
The $101,500 Lady's Secret Stakes is the distaff counterpart to the Majestic Light, with 7 older fillies and mares also going 1 1/16 miles on the main track. 22-1 longest shot C C's Pal made the early pace of 23.66, 47.28, and 1:11.44 with 9-1 Successful Song and 8-1 Debonair Darling stalking her second and third respectively. On the turn, C C's Pal tired and faded to last, as 6-5 favorite Quiet Giant, 4th early, quickly passed the pacesetters, drawing off to an impressive 6 3/4 length win over 9-1 Lacie Slew in 1:41.54. It was just a neck back to Debonair Darling third.
Results Chart from DRF
Left: Quiet Giant returns after the race. Her jockey Julien Leparoux said, "She won really easy. I kind of stood up at the 1/8 pole. It was nice. I knew I was far in front because I was watching on the infield TV. That's nice when you can do that."
Right: Second place finisher Lacie Slew in the post parade.
The $103,000 Teddy Drone Stakes featured 10 older horses sprinting 6 furlongs on the main track. 2-1 favorite Irrefutable battled for the lead with 57-1 Khan of Khans and 16-1 Force Freeze through fast early fractions of 21.71 and 43.71, with 34-1 Delong Road stalking the leaders in fourth. Entering the stretch, Irrefutable tired allowing Force Freeze to inherit the lead through 5/8 in 55.48. Force Freeze drew off late to win by 4 lengths over 9-2 Jersey Town in 1:07.77, just 0.30 seconds off the track record. It was another 1 1/2 lengths back to 23-1 Ravalo third.
Results Chart from DRF
Force Freeze in the winner's circle. His jockey Paco Lopez said, "I didn't know much about the horse. (Trainer Peter Walder) told me he has a lot of speed. I was looking to make a move and I saw the outside open and the horse ran so beautiful. I kept waiting and when I asked him for run, I kicked him to the outside and the horse ran beautiful."
On to the 2011 Haskell results and photos
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