Bold Chieftain crowned in Classic; Sweet Repent scores fifth straight in Distaff

Bold Chieftain crowned in Classic; Sweet Repent scores

fifth straight in Distaff

"This ranks right up there with any race I've ever won, anywhere," Baze said.

"We were in some pretty tight straits there turning for home. I didn't know if I

was going to get through or not, but a hole presented itself coming to the

three-sixteenths and we got through, but then I had to check up and we clipped

heels. Even though we got through I had that horse (Unusual Smoke) laying on me

and it's hard for a horse to move when he's got horses laying on him like that,

but (Bold Chieftain) did it."

Palladio (Lycius) chased Bold Chieftain on a clearer path and just missed to

pay $6.60 and $4.40 as the 6-1 fourth choice. It was another length back to 50-1

longshot Unusual Smoke (Unusual Heat), who just edged Jeranimo (Congaree) by a

nose to give back $13.40. The $1 exotics were worth $36.80 (exacta), $926.80 (trifecta)

and $6,145.20 (9-4-5-1 superfecta). Acclamation (Unusual Heat) was a half-length

back in fifth, while Enriched just missed that spot by a neck. Next under the

wire were Wicked Style (Macho Uno), Unusual Suspect (Unusual Heat) and

even-money favorite The Usual Q. T. (Unusual Heat), who was rank early while

forcing the pace and gave way in the stretch. Bad Action (Brahms) and Compari (Redattore

[Brz]) were both withdrawn, with the former finishing sixth in Saturday's

Sunshine Millions Turf at Gulfstream.

"The race set up badly for us," trainer Jim Cassidy said about The Usual Q.

T. "There was too much pressure too early...my horse got rank. We'll discuss

whether he'll go back on grass, but right now, that's certainly what I would

think."

Bold Chieftain had a three-race win streak broken when making his seasonal

bow last out in the San Pasqual H. (G2), running just two lengths behind in

fourth. Prior to that, he strung together easy scores in the Governor's H.,

California Cup Classic and San Quentin S. This win improves his stakes tally to

12, and he's also placed in eight other black-type events, including last year's

San Francisco Mile (G2) and Berkeley S. (G3). Having already joined the

millionaire's club a few starts back, the dark bay winner's share of the

$500,000 purse moved his lifetime earnings to $1,406,411 and his line now reads

34-15-6-4.

"Trips make races," Morey responded when asked if Baze might have moved too

soon on Bold Chieftain in the San Pasqual. "I'm not taking anything from the

winner, but in that race we might have rushed a little early for second money,

plus, he might have need that race a little bit.

"We were really gearing for this one. This is the one we were after. We

stayed here. We didn't go back up Highway Five (to his Bay Area headquarters).

We camped out here at Santa Anita. He was really going to have to jump up with a

monster today to continue thinking of going on (racing), and he came through, so

I guess he wants to keep going. He's got the ball. If he doesn't want to do it

anymore, just let us know, but when he runs races like this, it's pretty hard

not to be looking down the road at another one."

Bred in California by his co-owners, Bold Chieftain is out of the

stakes-placed Hooked on Music (Seattle Dancer) and counts as half-siblings

multiple Grade 3-placed Hooked on Niners (Mr. Greeley), an unraced sophomore

filly named Roman Lady (Roman Ruler), a juvenile filly named Briarbrookes Pride

(Malibu Moon) and an unnamed yearling colt by Lemon Drop Kid.

While Bold Chieftain had a rough trip in the Classic, SWEET REPENT (Repent)

had a much easier time of it to take the $300,000

Sunshine Millions Distaff at Gulfstream Park earlier on the day. The

Buongiorno A Tutti Stable's colorbearer raced just off the rail while stalking

the early pace duel of Amazing (Greatness) and Jessica is Back (Put It Back),

angled out for the stretch run and easily ran down the latter filly to score a 3

3/4-length victory. Trained by J. David Braddy, Sweet Repent ran 1 1/8 miles on

the fast main track in 1:49 1/5.

Jessica is Back was so eager she broke the gate open prior to the start, and

immediately moved to the front once the race started. She wasn't alone though,

as Amazing challenged for the lead, setting the opening split of :23 2/5 before

Jessica is Back took command through a half in :46 4/5. Amazing stuck her head

in front through three-quarters in a swift 1:10 4/5, but by this time was

beginning to feel the effects of the swift pace. Jessica is Back logged a mile

in 1:36 1/5, but Sweet Repent and jockey Manoel Cruz were just winding up.

Blowing past the front runner, the pair easily pulled away as the 8-5 favorite

in the nine-horse field.

"I was concerned when he (Cruz) was asking her in the far turn and not really

getting to the leaders (Jessica is Back and Amazing), but she got going and wore

them down," Braddy said. "She had some time off last year (February through

July) with some problems with her feet. She was a better three-year-old than a

two-year-old and is still maturing. She gets a vacation now, probably about 60

days off."

"I waited to ask my filly for her run because I know that she is game, and I

just had to be consistent with her," Cruz explained his strategy. "I knew she

would run for me in the final eighth, and that she was going to give me a whole

bunch of run. She has improved a lot as she has gotten older and more

experienced, and she keeps getting better."

Sweet Repent returned $5.20, $3 and $2.60 to her faithful backers while

keying the $16.60 exacta. Jessica is Back held second by 1 1/2 lengths over Even

Road (Stephen Got Even), who rallied from last to just get up for third over

Amazing. Jessica is Back paid $3.60 and $3 as the 5-2 second choice, while show

was worth $6.40 at 17-1. The trifecta gave back $94.60 and the 4-7-6-5

superfecta totaled $343.40. Christmas Ship (Montbrook), who was steadied sharply

going into the first turn after diving for a hole on the rail that suddenly

closed, dead-heated with Scolara (Quiet American) for fifth, while Unforgotten

(Northern Afleet), Cat Can Do (Adcat) and Granted Tiger (Tiger Ridge) completed

the order under the line.

Sweet Repent began her four-year-old season the exact same way she ended 2009

-- on a winning note. The dark bay lass began her current five-race win streak

with a pair of nose victories at Calder, including the Judy's Red Shoes S., and

followed those up with a 3 1/4-length score in the Elmer Heubeck Distaff H. She

just held in the Stage Door Betty H. (G3) by a nose once again to conclude her

sophomore campaign, and boosted her earnings to $464,190 with this victory,

which also improved her career mark to 13-7-2-1.

Bred in Florida by Nikki and Roger Schick, Sweet Repent was an OBS October

weanling RNA. She is out of the winning Formal Dinner mare Sweetbabe, who has

since produced an unnamed juvenile filly by With Distinction and an unnamed

yearling colt by City Place. This is the same family as Grade 3-placed stakes

winner Sugar's Image (Valid Appeal), herself the dam of multiple Grade 3-winning

sire Halo's Image (Halo).