Just minutes after his senior-owned conglomerate caused relative disappointment running second, third and fourth with 60% of the field at GII San Vicente S. in Santa Anita, undefeated Newgrange (Violence) found its best move late to justify 3-2 bias in the $750,000 Oaklawn GIII Southwest S.
Heading into his first sprint win on November 28 and against GIII Sham S. at Santa Anita on January 1, handsome Dark Bay broke out well and had a three-deep first turn. He backed off a bit while continuing to enter the track as the field spread out to the rear, and appeared to be spinning his wheels on the second turn as other competitors moved up inside him. . Hall of Famer John Velazquez worked hard to get his mount to achieve a long split of 1:12.42 and long shot. Kavod (meadow) It looks like he may have forgotten to stop at the top of the lane. However, the cavalry attack continued to dwindle, and Newgrange eventually faltered at the last sixteenth match to appear, presenting a powerful advance that no one could match and surpass. boundary half length to benefit. Haircut line (Race Day) closed well in center to correctly complete his third consecutive bet, having previously finished second in the Smarty Jones S. here on New Year’s Day. Smarty Jones Dash Attack Winner (Munnings) is a disappointing choice and even fifth is a second choice.
“We saw him take on a different dimension today, the way the race has set,” said coach Bob Baffert, who holds Bob Holthus’ five-fight record in this event and often especially dangerous during Oaklawn’s Triple Crown win. “Pretty proud of the way he runs. Johnny said he struggled with the track a bit before and I can say that. Usually, he’s in the lead. But all the way from behind he was in a good position. You never know, but he showed some really guts to win that race. Love going to Oaklawn Park and winning those big races. It is quite interesting to watch, stretching. He’s going back to California and we’ll figure out his next move.”
Newgrange did not earn any GI Kentucky Derby qualifying points on Saturday due to Churchill Downs policy not to award any points to a horse conditioned by a trainer who is currently banned from racing at the Louisville oval.
Saturday, Oaklawn . Park
SOUTH S.-GIII$750,000, Oaklawn, 1-29, 3yo, 1 1/16m, 1:45.83, ft.
first-NEWGRANGE, 122, c, 3, by Violence
Beat One: Bella Chianti, by Empire Maker
2nd beat: Bella Chiarra, by Phone Trick
3rd Dam: Bannockburn, by Earl Brook
($125,000 Ylg ’20 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables LLC, Robert E Masterson, Stonestreet Stables LLC, Jay A Schoenfarber, Waves Edge Capital LLC, Catherine Donovan, Golconda Stable, Siena Farm LLC; B-Jack Mandato & Black Rock Hybrid (KY); T-Bob Baffert; J-John R Velazquez. $450,000. Lifetime record: 3-3-0-0, $552,000. Nick Werk Rating: A+. Click to view eNicks report & pedigree of 5 children.
2-Haircut line117, c, 3, Race Day – Encounter, by Southern Image. BLACK LEVEL 1ST. ($15,000 Wlg ’19 KEENOV). O-WSS Racing LLC; B-Susan Forrester & Judy Curry (KY); T-John Alexander Ortiz. 150,000 dollars.
3–Ben Diesel117, c, 3, Fees will be charged–Girls Secret, by Giant’s Causeway. TYPE 1 BLACK, TYPE OF BLACK LEVEL 1. O/B-Willis Horton Racing LLC (KY); T-Dallas Stewart. 75,000 dollars.
Margins: 1HF, 1 1/4, 2 3/4. Odds: 1.50, 11.80, 5.00.
Also Ran: Kavod, Dash Attack, Classic Moment, Call Me Jamal, Osbourne, Costa Terra, Vivar, Ignitis, Don’tcrossthedevil. Click to view Equibase.com chartthe PP of TJCIS.com or Free Equineline.com catalog style genealogy. VIDEO sponsored by TVG.
Genealogical notes:
The second most expensive of the 28 colts purchased by the Avengers for an aggregate price of $11,250,000 ($401,786) at the September 2020 sale in Keeneland, Newgrange was one of the few. Violence13 sorted bet winners. The Avengers have also shown considerable love and success with Empire Maker. Influence of the outstanding broodstock responsible for the dams of 30 graded winners, including 2021 GISWs Silver status (Spin hard), Mandaloun (Into Mischief) and Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}). The winner’s dam is the daughter of class II winner Bella Chiarra (Telephone trick). She produced another Violent pony last April before being bred with War of Wills.
