New Year's Day racing features four Kentucky Derby preps

Killer Ability wins the G1 Hopeful Stakes and becomes the early favorite for 2022 Japanese Derby. Photo courtesy of Japan Racing Association

Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Not only is Saturday New Year's Day, but it also is the official birthday of Northern Hemisphere-bred horses. American tracks obligingly carded four races for the newly turned 3-year-olds Jan. 1 to kick off their respective roads to the Kentucky Derby.

Three of the races are official whistle stops on the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" with 10 points each to the winner, so the logjam at the top of that leaderboard promises to add a few more logs.

Santa Anita also has graded stakes on turf and dirt, and Gulfstream Park rolls into the new year with 3-year-old stakes also on turf and dirt.

On the international scene, this year's Grade 1 racing program in Japan concluded with Killer Ability winning the Hopeful Stakes on the Nakayama turf, becoming an early favorite for the 2022 Classics.

Omega Perfume won the Tokyo Daishoten on the Oi Racecourse dirt -- for the fourth consecutive year. See the international section for details.

And before we forget, early next month, a new film titled "Jockey" will be hitting screens nationwide. We've seen an advance copy, and it's really good. It was shot on location at Turf Paradise using real racing folks, so it gets the feel and detail of racing right. But it's really about humanity as much as racing. Worth a look.

Now, out with the old, in with the new.

The Road to the Roses

Saturday finds four 1-mile races kicking off the run-up, respectively, to the Arkansas Derby, Santa Anita Derby, Wood Memorial and Florida Derby. It's early, but never too early, to watch and learn. So ...

Saturday's $250,000 Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park attracted 14 juveniles with nothing like a solid favorite to be found on the morning line.

Topping that list at 3-1 odds is Home Brew, a Street Sense colt trained by Brad Cox who already has a win over the track. Ben Diesel, Cool Papa G, Barber Road, Kavod and All In Sync also get some attention, but this looks like just about anyone's race.

The five-horse field gathered for Saturday's $100,000 Grade III Sham Stakes at Santa Anita has some potential heavyweights and a couple of question marks.

Bob Baffert will saddle two -- Rockefeller, a Medaglia d'Oro colt who was fourth in the Grade I American Pharoah in October and then went east to win the Grade III Nashua at Belmont Park in his last start.

There's also Del Mar maiden winner. Mackinnon, by American Pharoah, who has the turf-to-dirt angle after finishing third in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf in his last.

Oviatt Class, a Virginia-bred Bernardini colt, was third in the American Pharoah and then fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Degree of Risk has done his best work on all-weather and turf tracks.

Saturday's $150,000 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct drew a field of eight.

Mr Jefferson was last seen finishing second in the Grade II Remsen on Dec. 4. The Constitution colt has two wins from five starts. Cooke Creek, an Uncle Mo colt, has two wins and a second from three starts, the second coming in the Grade III Nashua at Belmont Park in his latest.

Ohtwothreefive, a Union Rags colt, makes his seventh start and seeks his second win while coming off a second in the Central Park Stakes on Nov. 27.

Six signed on for Saturday's $150,000 Mucho Macho Man at Gulfstream Park, and four of them look likely to contend for the big prize.

Strike Hard, a Flashback colt, and Skippylongstocking, by Exaggerator, were first and third, respectively, in their last outing over the course. In August, Skippylongstocking was second and Strike Hard third in a maiden tilt.

Graphic Detail comes south after an impressive win in his first start at Belmont Park Nov. 6. Simplification won his second start by 16 3/4 lengths, but regressed in his one intervening start.

The Smarty Jones, Jerome and Sham are included in the "Road to the Kentucky Derby" series, with 10 points to the winner of each and 4 points, 2 points and 1 point for the minor placings -- unless, of course, one of the Baffert trainees finishes in the top four in the Sham.

Baffert is under the Churchill Downs interdict and his horses can't earn points. Come to think of it, with only five in the race, it's pretty likely at least one of his duo will finish in the top four.

Already in the books:

Dance Code was sent out to an early lead in Wednesday's $100,000 Parx Juvenile and held the advantage to the wire, winning by 1 1/2 lengths despite drifting out late.

Speaking was second and an objection by his rider against the winner alleging stretch interference was dismissed. Script finished third, 2 3/4 lengths farther in arrears.

Dance Code, a Pennsylvania-bred colt by Honor Code, ran 7 furlongs on a fast track in 1:26.32 with Nik Juarez up. Trained by Juan Vazquez, Dance Code got his third win from six starts. He also was third in the Grade III Sanford Stakes at Saratoga in July.

Chattalot dueled to the lead in Monday's $75,000 Sugar Bowl Stakes at Fair Grounds, opened up to a daylight lead and held on at the end of 6 furlongs to win by 1/2 length over Underhill's Tab. Blue Kentucky was third in a well-matched field.

Chattalot, a Midnight Lute colt out of the Kingmambo mare Mamboalot, was clocked in 1:10.03 over a fast track under Reylu Gutierrez, who had four winners on the 10-race card.

Trainer Steve Asmussen didn't tip his cards about plans for the colt, who now is 3-for-5. His sire excelled as a sprinter and his maternal grandsire was a world-class miler in France and England, so the pedigree does not shriek "first Saturday in May."

On the turf:

The schedule includes Friday's $100,000 Eddie Logan Stakes at Santa Anita and Saturday's $100,000 Dania Beach Stakes at Gulfstream Park.

The Road to the Oaks

Friday's eighth race at Oaklawn Park is not technically a stakes affair, but it might as well be, considering the quality of the nine-horse field attracted by the $120,000 purse.

Brad Cox brings the morning-line favorite, Matareya, a Pioneerof the Nile filly who was fifth in the Grade I Alcibiades at Keeneland and second in the Fern Creek Stakes at Churchill Downs in her last.

Steve Asmussen has had Benedict Canyon working in Hot Springs since the Midnight Lute filly finished fifth in the Grade I Starlet at Los Alamitos.

And Ingrid Mason saddles Hypersport, a Blame filly coming off her maiden win over the Oaklawn strip.

Look at 'em all for value, noting particularly Secret Oath, by Arrogate, trained by D. Wayne Lukas, Alberta-bred Knowing Glance and Red Hot Mess, the field's only previous stakes winner coming off a loss that might have been due to a foot issue.

Saturday's $100,000 Cash Run Stakes at Gulfstream Park, 1 mile on the main track, has a field of seven. Most are recent maiden winners with a sprinkling of those who got that first win, but have struggled to repeat the feat.

Already in the books:

Stand Up Comic took charge in the stretch run of Wednesday's $100,000 Parx Futurity, getting away to a 4-length victory. Captainsdaughter and the favorite, Miss Interpret, rallied from farther back in the field to finish second and third, respectively.

Stand Up Comic, a Practical Joke filly, ran 7 furlongs on a fast track in 1:26.29 for jockey Frankie Pennington. It was her third win, following two off-the-board finishes on the New York circuit.

Girl With a Dream led the way in Monday's $75,000 Letllier Memorial at Fair Grounds, turned back a challenge midway through and went on to win by 1 length. Com' On Sweet Luv was second, 6 lengths ahead of Mystique Saboteur.

Girl With a Dream, a Practical Joke filly, ran 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:10.84. Florent Geroux had the mount for trainer Brad Cox, who also handles Con' On Sweet Luv.

On the turf: Friday's $100,000 Blue Norther at Santa Anita and Saturday's $100,000 Ginger Brew at Gulfstream Park.

Around the ovals:

Santa Anita

Seven distaffers signed on for Saturday's $100,000 Grade III Robert J. Frankel Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on the grass.

Mucho Unusual, England's Rose and Luck look likely, with Luck coming off a pair of tough beats in the Grade III Red Carpet at Del Mar and the Grade I Rodeo Drive at Santa Anita in her last two outings. This is a little shorter and looks easier.

Beer Can Man and Commander return from a 1-2 finish in a November allowance event at Del Mar to contest Saturday's $250,000 Grade II Joe Hernandez Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs down the hillside turf course.

The picture is somewhat clouded by the arrival from the East Coast of Momos, Delaware and Chewing Gum and from France of Bran.

As Time Goes By didn't fire in the Breeders' Cup, but returned to win the Grade III Bayakoa at Los Alamitos on Dec. 5 -- enough to make her the likely choice in Saturday's $200,000 Grade III La Canada Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles on the dirt.

The other five are not particularly distinguished but if As Time Goes By falters again, it's wide open.

Fair Grounds

Monday's results:

Excess Magic pressed the pace in the $75,000 Woodchopper Stakes for 3-year-olds, rolled by the early leader without resistance and won off by 1 1/2 lengths. Point Me By was up for second, 4 1/2 lengths better than the fading pacesetter, Rightandjust.

Excess Magic, a Magician colt, ran 1 mile on firm turf in 1:38.08 with Reylu Gutierrez in the irons.

Audrey's Time made steady progress from the back of the five-horse field in the $75,000 Joseph E. Spanky Broussard Memorial for fillies and mares, hit the lead at the top of the stretch and won by 1 3/4 lengths. Powder River and Velvet Crush filled the trifecta.

Audrey's Time, a 4-year-old Uncle Mo filly, ran 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:43.06 with Corey Laneire up.

Lovely Ride got just that from Gutierrez in the $75,000 Pago Hop Stakes for 3-year-old fillies. The Candy Ride miss, trained by Bret Calhoun, stalked the pace, moved up between rivals and took over in the final sixteenth to win by 3/4 length.

Amiche was up for second, a neck in front of Princess Theorem. Lovely Ride finished 1 mile on firm turf in 1:38.58.

Parx Racing

Jakarta moved quickly to the lead in Tuesday's $100,000 Mrs. Claus Stakes for fillies and mares and wasn't troubled thereafter, winning by 3 lengths over Miss Mosaic. It was another 7 lengths to Don't Call Me Mary in third.

Jakarta, a 6-year-old mare by Bustin Stones, ran 7 furlongs on a fast track in 1:23.40, toting jockey Mychel Sanchez.

Why Why Paul Why bided his time in Tuesday's $100,000 Kris Kringle Stakes, moved four-wide to take the lead in the lane and kicked away to a 2 1/4-length victory. Davadic Line was second, a nose in front of I Am Redeemed.

Why Why Paul Why, a 4-year-old Archarcharch colt, finished the 1 mile, 70 yards on a fast track in 1:42.92 with Kendrick Carmouche up.

Dreams Untold stalked the pace though the first few furlongs of Tuesday's $100,000 Blitzen Stakes, and then accelerated to the lead and on to a 3 3/4-length victory. Repo Rocks was up for second, 1/2 length in front of Fortheluvofbourbon.

Dreams Untold, a 4-year-old Smarty Jones gelding out of the Seattle Slew mare Shootforthestars, ran 6 furlongs on a fast track in 1:10.46. Frankie Pennington had the mount.

Around the world, around the clock:

Japan

Killer Ability romped home first in race-record time in Tuesday's Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at Nakayama Racecourse, automatically jumping into consideration for the 2022 Japanese Classics.

The Deep Impact colt, ridden confidently by up-and-coming young rider Takeshi Yokoyama, came to challenge the leaders three-wide entering the stretch, took the lead inside 100 meters and spurted out to a 1 1/2-length victory.

Justin Palace, another by Deep Impact, was second, 1 1/4 lengths better than Lagulf.

Killer Ability won on his second appearance going the same 2,000 meters at Kokura Racecourse, and then finished second behind Danon Scorpion in a key race, the Hagi Stakes at Hanshin on Oct. 30. Danon Scorpion went on to finish third in the Grade 1 Asahi Hai Futurity on Dec. 19.

Yokoyama, the son and grandson of star jockeys, he looks forward to what Killer Ability has in store in for 2022.

"Sitting in the saddle in his workouts two weeks in a row convinced me that he was going to run and run fast," Yokoyama said of the Hopeful effort.

"We sat in a good position and when the colt was able to relax in the backstretch, I had all the confidence I needed that he was going to win. I'm sure he will go on to improve further and become stronger."

The Hopeful is recognized as a springboard to the following year's Classics and beyond. Past competitors include Victoire Pisa, winner of the 2011 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline; Epiphaneia, winner of the 2014 Japan Cup; and Contrail, who swept the 2020 Japanese Triple Crown and retired after winning the 2021 Japan Cup.

The Hopeful, the final Japan Racing Association Grade 1 event of the year, was followed the next day by the Grade 1 Tokyo Daishoten on the dirt at Oi, a locally administered track on the National Association of Racing circuit.

In that, Omega Perfume rallied strongly through the stretch to win the race for a remarkable fourth straight year. The son of Swept Overboard, despite being floated way wide into the lane, got up to beat Clincher by 1/2 length, likely en route to a well-deserved retirement.

"He jumped out of the gate okay," winning rider Mirco Demuro said, "but did not have much speed at the very early stage. Around the backstretch, he came to normal himself.

"Around the far turn, I felt very confident he was going very good ... Only a strong horse can win the same race four times and he is the tremendous horse. Super horse."

(Thanks to Katsumi Saito for the quotes and photo.)

England

Fillies and mares test the new Tapeta surface at Southwell on New Year's Day in 7-furlong Coral Fillies Conditions Stakes, a Fast-Track Qualifier for the Coral All-Weather Fillies & Mares Championships at Newcastle on Good Friday.

Arriviste takes on five rivals off a victory at the same distance at Lingfield Park on Dec. 18 -- a cutback in trip that seemed to serve well for the daughter of See the Moon.

"She did it very nicely at Lingfield and it was pleasing to get a second win into her," trainer Rae Guest sai. "Hopefully, we have found the key now and, all being well, she should have a good chance."