Uncorked and Frankie Dettori make haste at Santa Anita
Italian jockey Frankie Dettori performs a flying dismount in the winner's enclosure after riding Trawlerman to victory in the British Champions Long Distance Stakes on Qipco British Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse, west of London on October 21, 2023.
Making her first start for trainer Phil D’Amato, and first in California, Uncorked (Frankie Dettori 5-1), became a newly minted stakes winner when taking the $100,000 Royal Heroine at Santa Anita.
Uncorked had a ground-saving trip before finding a seam on the rail - bursting through to score by 2 lengths. Justique (Mike Smith 8-1), rallied from second-last to fill a place infront of Stay, and Scam.
The time for one mile on firm turf was 1:34:6/10.
Phil was at Churchill Downs Saturday where he saw Santa Anita Derby winner draw post 18 for next Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.
She is an Australian-bred and they are known for their sprinter-milers down there. She is really enjoying California and credit to the owners for sending her out here.
Uncorked arrived in Phil's barn from New York this winter. Previously trained by Brittany Russell, this was her premier airing since last November when she finished third in the Forever Together Stakes going 1 1/16 miles on turf, at Aqueduct.
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It was another sweet ending at Oaklawn for Valentine Candy Ricardo Santana Juniuor 7-5), whose late burst of speed propelled his Hall of Fame trainer onto a new page of the Oaklawn record book.
Valentine Candy became the 'debuter' in 33 years to win four stakes races at an Oaklawn meeting in the $200,000 Bachelor, for 3-year-old sprinters, before an estimated crowd of 22,000 on a mostly cloudy, windy, afternoon.
Frost Free held second, ahead of Cats, Five,Time for Truth, Bergen, Market Street, and, Drewmania.
Steve Asmussen also became the first trainer in Oaklawn history to win the same stakes race nine times, breaking a record he shared with Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. In addition to the Bachelor, Steve has won the Carousel eight times. Baffert has eight victories in the Rebel - a major Kentucky Derby prep.
Valentine Candy, a chestnut son of 2018 Triple Crowner, Justify, punctuated his 4 for 4 Oaklawn campaign in the six-furlong Bachelor.
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Sabatini (Sofia Vives 3-1), in just her second outing, rallied impressively to win the $125,000 Star Shoot Stakes - a six-furlong sprint for young fillies, at Woodbine.
Sofia, recently crowned as Canada’s elite apprentice, secured her first career stakes triumph as part of a five-win opening day at the Toronto oval.
Mystic Lake, sent off at 6-5, fired early in the Star Shoot, quickly engaged to her outside by Dancing Duchess, while Sofia had Sabatini running comfortably in fourth.
The lead duo continued their tussle as Sabatini began full flight galloping, taking over with a hundred yards to go.
At the wire, she was a decisive 2.4-length striker, breaking her maiden tag. Mystic Lake finished a neck in front of Dancing Duchess for second.
The final tick was 1:10:2/10.
